SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome back to the Hilltop Globe Podcast. Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Cliff, the Superproducer, a DJ, producer, and musician from Hopkins, South Carolina. He graduated from South Carolina State University, South Carolina State in the House, in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts and Music. Since then, his main focus has been on perfecting his sound from birthday parties, proms, and concerts. He has done it all. Cliff has played on numerous stations such as 100.1 the beat, throwback 105.5, 92.7 the block, and the streets 103.3. His playlist and music are available on Bandcamp and MixedCloud. Stay tuned while we dive into the world of music with Cliff the Super Producer. How are you doing today? Man, I'm I'm I'm blessed.

SPEAKER_05 0:51

I'm grateful to be here. I love the intro. Yeah, man. I'm excited, man. I'm excited. I'm excited. Super excited. Awesome, awesome.

SPEAKER_02 0:58

This is one that should have been a long time coming. Yeah, absolutely. You ain't lying. Yeah. Absolutely. It's been a while. Yeah, I know. This is what I thought. I was like, man, we should have been talking to Cliffs. Yeah, yeah, man. I'm grateful.

SPEAKER_03 1:07

I mean, I appreciate y'all, man, for sure. For sure. And um, shout outs to Tamalia for your nice bag. She puts this thing up. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, she and I go way away. See, so you already know. Yeah, yeah. Try to sound as creepy as we can. She actually knows she knows your two baby mamas and she knows how to do it.

SPEAKER_04 1:26

See?

SPEAKER_03 1:27

See, see, nothing. She got it all. Not at all. No, but um, one of the things about our podcast is if you've checked it out, you already know what the first question is. We'd like for you to explain to our audience a little bit about your background. What was it like for you growing up and who influenced you?

SPEAKER_05 1:44

Yeah, so growing up, I'm from I'm from Hopkins,

Welcome And Meet Cliff

SPEAKER_05 1:46

South Carolina, small town just southeast of Columbia.

SPEAKER_03 1:49

Growing up now.

SPEAKER_05 1:51

Yeah, yeah. Hopkins is just really coming up. Um, but yeah, man, I grew up small town. Both my parents um in music. My dad played keys, he played harmonica, he played trombone, um, any instrument, um, he played it. But he was also a math teacher. He uh was in the Vietnam, you know, uh he was in the in he was a Vietnam vet, um, drove trucks. So my dad. Yeah, yeah, man. Listen, you name it, he did it. My mom, she sang. Um, she comes from small town in Gilbert, South Carolina, Lexington, South Carolina. Oh, she'll give it. Yeah, yeah. So my mom sang. Um, so yeah, like just growing up, um, music was always around. Um I remember so many vinyl records around, messing around on turntables when I shouldn't have been messing around on turntables.

SPEAKER_02 2:46

Um turntables that should have been turned used for turntables. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 2:51

It wasn't that type of time, but I've always loved music. Um a huge Michael Jackson fan. Um I was always imitating him, trying to moonwalk, trying to do everything he did. The glove, the high waters, the socks, all of that. So yeah, man, music's been a part of my life for my for my entire life. Um I was in the band, played saxophone. Well, play, I played strings in fifth grade. Okay. Then to sixth grade, went to saxophone, and from there, man, music has been, it's been it's been a part of my life ever since.

Roots, Parents, And Early Music

unknown 3:22

Awesome.

SPEAKER_05 3:23

Awesome.

SPEAKER_03 3:23

Did you have any do you have any siblings?

SPEAKER_05 3:26

I have a I have an older sister, older half sister, but I grew up my only child. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

unknown 3:33

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 3:34

I got a question. Uh how uh you have it seems like you're the type of person that had older parents. Your parents were really old, yeah, sorry. Were they like you?

SPEAKER_05 3:40

Yeah, yeah. When my mom had me, she was about 39. Okay. And my dad was probably about five years older than her. So yeah, I definitely had older parents for sure.

SPEAKER_02 3:50

Okay, so you've always like ever since I as long as I've known you, I was like, he always seems like the type of guy that has older parents. Because like our and I, we got a couple of friends, like you can tell because like our parents were younger when they had us, they were early 20s. And so, and it's just a big difference, like with kids like parent people who grew up with older parents. Yeah, it's a lot more, y'all a lot more subtle, even though compared to people, even like people even older than you guys.

SPEAKER_05 4:15

Yeah, listen, man, like with my dad, especially, it wasn't too much that I couldn't get away with. My mom too, like it wasn't too much that I that I couldn't do. They were always at school, a part of every parentage conference. Yeah, my mom was the PTO president. Um, when I was in band in in high school, they both were part of the Ban Booster Club. So they were at all the practices and all the trips. So my parents were heavily involved in my schooling and just everything. Even even like what I what I took from them from then, just grammar-wise, like they weren't playing with that. Anytime me and my my friends and I would say something like that just wasn't it didn't sound right, my mom is correct. Like, nah, it's it's not that, it's this. Because I remember growing up, overday would be a thing, but it's not. No, we're not saying over there, it's over there. So yeah, nah, they they my mom wasn't playing that. My dad was always on me about homework, and with him being a math teacher. Oh my lord, I can't imagine. You know what I mean? So just they they they're checking everything. But you know, like looking back on it, it was it was it was beneficial for me. Okay, you know what I mean? So, like, and I still try to keep that going as an adult, you feel me? So, yeah, man, it they they were always around, always there, and you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 5:28

So the expectations of of excellence and performance from you, and and I would say, do you think it was based on the fact that they were at the age they were when they had you? They had matured, they had lived life, and so they kind of understood what was required. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 5:43

Um, like I said, man, it wasn't too much that I couldn't get away with, and they were just on me, like, man, you you're not gonna be half-stepping. It it has to be on divided. Yeah, man. Like, so I I had I had to be on it, and and I'm I'm grateful for that. I I I can't I can't take that away from him. I'm super grateful for it for sure. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_03 6:03

Now, I gotta answer this because where you went to high school at. All right, so now, because I know a little bit about how Columbia works. My brother explained this to me years ago. So in Columbia, most people they stay in their area. Yeah. Now, you're from an area, obviously right now, it's blowing up right now. It is blowing up. So everybody's trying to get a little bit, a piece of that little sauce that's coming off there that day. For sure.

SPEAKER_02 6:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:28

How was it growing up in your region of Columbia? And did you ever like travel, especially as a I asked you this too, especially as a DJ, what was it like traveling outside of your your region, your your comfort zone to explore the city?

SPEAKER_05 6:44

Yeah, I I I had to. It was no other choice. Being from Hopkins, there's no well at the well at the time. Well, and still now, there's really no industry. Yeah. So you have to go out to Columbia, you have to uh travel out to make a name and gain some exposure. So I can remember as far as well, as early as me being 17, where he and I met at the at the uh B Street beat battle at New Brooking, at New Brooklyn Tavern.

SPEAKER_04 7:10

That's so man, y'all. Y'all, we all are true to this. Yeah, true.

SPEAKER_05 7:14

Yeah, yeah. So like with me being heavy into um production, uh-huh, um, King was the one that told me about about the beat battle, because he taught at my high school. Oh, yeah, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, he yeah, yeah. Well, and my middle school as well. I met I met King. I was in the eighth grade, I th I believe. Okay, yeah. So and we've been known each other ever since. So at the time, my senior year actually, I'll never forget. My senior year, he told me about the B Street beat battle. And listen, I didn't I didn't have a lights on the time. So my dad, my dad drove me there.

SPEAKER_02 7:47

Man, you feel so bad.

Leaving Hopkins To Find Stages

SPEAKER_05 7:51

Yeah, yeah. My dad drove me there, and we we stuck around the entire time. It was it's the things I'll never forget. I remember I got I got to it was it came down to myself and Mike S. You know what I mean? So it came down to that. Mike S took the W. But again, that that S was a beast. Man, listen, shh, Mike S was crazy.

SPEAKER_03 8:11

Some great producers. You can even again, that's what those things are for. It rings out the best.

SPEAKER_05 8:16

Yeah, yeah, and and it really did. I learned a lot from that. Just hearing different styles of production and you know, where where I land within that. But I at that time being 17, my first ever beat battle and making it that far, like it's really good. Yeah, I I I gained so much from that. Um, it really built my confidence. Just being in front of people, playing my music in front of people. Because I think that I might have been the first time I ever played my music just in front of a crowd, period. Yeah. So yeah, man, and like I said, man, I was about 17. And like and to your to your to your point earlier, or the question earlier, I had to get out of Hopkins and move around just to make some type of name and keep it going. So yeah, man, I had to get out, well, get from Hopkins, go to Columbia, and just just keep it rolling.

SPEAKER_03 9:03

Now, with the different areas in Columbia, I'm gonna hone in on this quest. You got your downtown, you got your West Columbia Lexington. Yeah, yeah. For sure. Yeah. Which one of those regions was was the uh was the region in which you got your real like first chance to shine? That was your breakout moment.

SPEAKER_05 9:22

So really it really was that beat battle downtown, New Brook, New Brooklyn Tavern. Like I said, man, that's something that I'll I I'll still think about that because again, it was one of my first experiences playing my beats in front of people, getting a crowd reaction, learning about all right, this person's style of production gained this type of uh this type of reaction. So I go back to the lab, work on some things, tweak some things. And plus I'm still in high school, so I'm still learning and still and still growing. But yeah, going downtown, that's that's what that's where it was. That's where did it lead to for you? Man, I I met so many great people from like I said, you know, just knowing King, um Fat Rat, there's everybody involved with that, man. So it it allowed me to just uh like I said, just gain that exposure. And then, you know, my space being as popular as it was then.

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Oh, that's so true.

SPEAKER_05 10:12

You know what I mean? So like just you know, just gaining gaining more social media-wise, and even going back to school and talking about it, and you know what I mean? So you you get that that's that same type of love from that. So it was dope. It was dope. So awesome.

SPEAKER_02 10:26

Yeah, that time, man, was like you think hindsight being 2020, and just think about where we at now, and that's where a lot of people who were involved. That was that was so much of an incubator. Yeah for man, just thinking about all those names, all those names.

SPEAKER_03 10:37

I don't think we even knew it at the time. It was just a fun thing to do. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, we really missing that space now.

SPEAKER_05 10:44

Man, tell me about it. Tell me about it.

SPEAKER_02 10:46

Because if you think about it, we would even be doing what we're doing now, really, because it's like that's really that's where because I know for us, we were coming from Lexington, West Columbia. So we didn't go downtown. We didn't, yeah, we never did. Wow. We never go down. That's what I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_03 11:00

Me and Debo did. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 11:06

Gotcha, gotcha.

SPEAKER_03 11:07

That's the point. That's why I asked you this question because I know growing up, I didn't, I never thought about it like that. But like I we stayed in our little silo, like that little Lexington Gilbert area, and then we might go over to Irmo, like we were teasing about before. We might ride down to the Dutch Square area. But if we did, we gotta bring some people with us. We can't just go by ourselves. For sure, right? Yeah, exactly. Real talk. So, like being able to go to events like that and seeing people from the different areas of the city and seeing what they did, it was amazing. It was eye-opening for us. Yeah, it's not like we were literally in a city area because you don't think about like that, but you're in a city area. Exactly. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 11:42

Yeah, it's like being from a small town in Hopkins, all the people I'm playing, all the people I'm playing my music for is my friends. Yeah, yeah. And just, you know, everybody I'm coming up with, but just to really gain some type of name and you know, meet people and network, I had to go out, go outside of that. And you know, it it like I said, it man, it led to just meeting more people. And I'm still learning how to DJ at the at that time. But I wanted to. Yeah, but production was was first for sure. Production was first. DJing was what like I said, it was it was still in there, but my main thing at that time was just I gotta be the best producer in the world. Yeah, that's what that's what it came down to. But yeah, like so that from beats that led to DJing and you know the rest of history.

SPEAKER_03 12:26

I'll tell you what's so cool about that, because Kevin said, I'm a big DJ Premier fan, right? And um, I remember DJ Premier was talking about the fact that he was like, yo, I'm a producer, right? But he's like, but I gotta DJ. And they were like, why? Because he's like, I gotta have something that I can do outside of the production that puts me with my MC on stage. Yeah. Because like if you ever watch DJ Premiere or DJ, he doesn't DJ like a typical DJ. He does a really, it has a very interesting setup. He has both his turntables side by side style and his mixer over on the left. That's from the production mind because that's what he was a producer first. Yep. And another thing people don't realize about him, and this is why I'm bringing this up, which especially with you, because it's interesting how you how your your story is. He's from the south. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And he bought that up north as a producer going up north and then learning how to DJ later. I thought that was always so interactive. Yeah, absolutely. So, how did that affect you becoming a DJ after being becoming a producer?

SPEAKER_02 13:26

Yeah, because you just the other way around. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:28

Yeah, man. See, with me, I'm a super, super three-six mafia fan. Oh, and I I love DJ Paul DJ. Like for them, yeah. For me, those two, like they set the groundwork or like they were my super major influences. Yeah. So whatever they were doing, I would try to emulate that. Yeah, you know what I mean? So, and they were DJs as well. That's true, yeah. You know what I mean? So, like it, whatever album, because I love that Proud Trad is my favorite rapper of all time. So I'm listening to him. Yeah, I'm listening to him, I'm listening to what Paul and just was doing. I'm just uh absorbing it. I'm I'm really trying to really comprehend what's going on, being like 11-12. Well, mind you, I shouldn't be listening to the 80s.

Producer First, DJ Later

SPEAKER_05 14:12

We all know we shouldn't have been listening to that. You know what I mean? I should I shouldn't be listening to that. I remember listen, man, I remember begging my mom at like 1112 to let me just buy the explicit version of an album. I I just I just needed Yeah, I needed to put it art, Mom. Right. I I mean the the the exact album was uh Landis MacDown by Project Pad. It had the song Choose You on there. Choose You is the for people that don't know, that's the same record as International Players Anthem by UGK. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? So and Choose You that I I love that, I love that song. So I'm just studying what they were doing, going back in the lab, just trying to uh, you know, just hone in on my crab as a producer, and just like I said, man, just listening, man. Um I'm really trying to just understand what's going on. I'm reading all the credits, I'm looking at who's engineering this and everything. So I'm like I said, I'm just taking it. But when it comes when it could all comes down to it, I'm like, yo, I gotta, I gotta do what they were doing. I'm studying, I'm studying the structure, I'm studying just everything.

SPEAKER_03 15:19

Message. Message, yeah, like yeah, like you study.

SPEAKER_05 15:24

I study it, man, just listening. And and of course, coming from um playing an instrument, yeah and knowing how to read music.

SPEAKER_03 15:31

What instrument were you playing again?

SPEAKER_05 15:32

Saxophone. I started alto saxophone, sixth grade, and then seventh grade, I went to tennis saxophone. Okay. And so from seventh grade up until college, tennis saxophone, that's what that's my main instrument.

SPEAKER_03 15:42

Who's your favorite favorite uh saxophone is?

SPEAKER_05 15:44

Uh Coltrane, for sure. All right. Come on. Come on, come on. Yes, sir. Come on. So so I'm I'm coming up, I'm like 12, 13, 14, just listen. That's I'm 3-6, Lil' John, anything from the Crunk era.

SPEAKER_03 15:59

That's that's for those who ain't getting experienced it. Y'all miss something fun in the club. Crunk era.

SPEAKER_05 16:07

I listen. At that time, I I wish I was like an actual adult. Yeah, but I'm just listening to the music. You know what I mean? You missed it, man. Man, I wasn't supposed to be there.

SPEAKER_03 16:19

That era and they were dancing, like people were having fun in the club.

SPEAKER_05 16:23

Going crazy, going crazy. Yeah, so like I said, man, like I said, man, Paul and Juicy J, super major influences. So, like I said, I'm just I'm just studying them, trying to trying to learn, trying to just do everything I can. And like I said, man, the rest is history. Oh, it's awesome, man.

SPEAKER_03 16:37

And so that that that basically explains a lot about your sound and and and how you picked it up. Um, and I know Kevin knows this more than more than me, especially with you, with that, but because he really serious produced like my brother Kevin. Really, really, you know. He ain't even saying it, but we can talk about it. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Y'all, y'all really focus and hone in at trying to figure out a sound, figure out how a producer does what it is they do, and then using that to elaborate on what you want to do. Now, what I want to ask you about this is the trends. So obviously, in the industry, you have trends of sounds, how things are are working at the time to be in the major market. How has the the the trends throughout the years, how has that affected your sound?

SPEAKER_05 17:34

Man, you gotta just be with the times. Everything changes probably within four or five years of each other.

SPEAKER_03 17:41

We always talk about it. Look, we are yeah, yeah. I agree.

SPEAKER_05 17:45

Y'all already know what time it is. Like you get about a good four or five years, and then we on to the next. Yeah, so like like professionally, I started I started DJing in 20, like the end of 2014, like just before I graduated college. So everything just kind of just lined up the way it should have. So I started DJing like November. I'm my first club gig was November 2014. And at that time, the sound, I remember mustard being super popular. So that that style was going on, and then Metro Booming was was coming up during that time. So it's like, man, you gotta just again it goes back goes back it goes back to studying and uh knowing what works and what doesn't. Again, you can't you can craft your own your own style within that, but I I do think it's important to stick to or it's it's important to kind of just gravitate towards what's working, just to just to get some kind of traction, and then you get the traction and now you can start introducing new things to people and because again, sometimes people just don't know don't know what they want until you give it to them. So um just yeah man, just just knowing what's going on, uh you get that four to five years and just get and keep it pushing. And with me, I had I had to understand, like, alright,

Trends, Song Choice, Crowd Connection

SPEAKER_05 18:58

if one thing isn't working, let's go back and and and work on that and get to what is working and go from there. Cause I I remember certain times being in the club like early on, um I I feel like I had somewhat of a difficult time trying to connect with people. Because at that time, like I said, I'm new.

SPEAKER_03 19:18

Now, what do you mean by that for for the audience member who listen who doesn't know what that means from a DJ?

SPEAKER_05 19:23

Yeah, so like just um when it comes down to just pure song selection, sometimes what you're working on in your in your room, yeah, it might not translate to people in in real life. Exactly. So if I if I'm playing these certain records that might be underground, I think they're amazing, but some some people in who like mainstream music, it might that the underground stuff might not connect. Go right over the head. Yeah, just you so now I'm like, all right, this night, these songs worked, these songs didn't. So let me let me go back and just all right, let's eliminate what didn't work. I I might do this just for my I might work on some stuff just for my own personal sake, but for the sake of the people, let me go, let me go in and understand, all right, this era works with them, this era resonates with them. This era is okay, but it might not, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like it's on maybe a certain group of people a group of people might like it, but overall, it didn't work out. And and in in my industry, in my you know, you know what I mean, in my career field, like the overall is what matters. Yes. You know what I mean? So just like I said, it all go it always for me goes back to studying and just listening. Like, yeah, I can work on a technical scratching and everything, blending everything, but if I'm if I'm playing his records that don't that aren't connecting with people, then me scratching and doing all this, it does it doesn't matter. It doesn't make them make them feel it. Yeah, like like yeah, he he's cool, like he's dope at what he's doing technically, but I don't I like people might be but people might be like, man, I don't care. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? So all right, bet. Let me just lock in and figure out what's working, and we and we and we go from there. So with me knowing what works and what doesn't, that's super important.

SPEAKER_03 21:10

Have you ever had a time when you bombed?

SPEAKER_05 21:12

Yeah, I man, listen, it's it's a time I think about to this day, this happened like 10, 11 years ago. I remember being at a spot called Route 77, it was on uh assembly assembly street. I was at Route 77, and I remember that uh I I probably was there from like Wednesday to Saturday. And um You were doing multiple days? Yes, it's tough. Yeah, so I was yeah, so like I'm like fresh out of college, all these things happen. Um, but yeah, like I'm I'm I'm I'm at Route 77, and even even getting even getting there was a is it's a long story, but long story short, I get to Saturday, and mind you, DJ Louis V, though that's usually his night. Yo, all right, I'm over there.

unknown 21:56

Go ahead.

SPEAKER_05 21:56

Yeah, so I'm uh that's usually his night, but he wasn't. He was somewhere else or whatever. So I had to fill in for him. And I remember, oh my God. I remember um playing something or whatever. And I remember some guy was like, yo, I I can't remember exactly what he said, but he was like, he was like, yo, where's where's Louis V at? Because you know. Yeah, dah. Like, I I I promise you, I still think about that to this day. That's why that's why I'm so big on that's why I'm so big on connecting. I'm like, yo, he was like, yo, where is V at? Because you aren't doing X, Y, and Z, blah, blah, blah. Yeah. Mind you, like, I'm I'm heated, but I can't, I can't react. I gotta still be in the city. You gotta cater to the crap. Yes. Like I I gotta still I gotta still be in that mode. But like I said, man, that night in particular, it just wasn't working. Like I'm I'm I'm tired. Like I'm I'm going through so many things emotionally, like just losing my dad, or losing my mom, excuse me. I lost my mom at the time. And all these things, like, man, but I still gotta lock in. Like all of that, while it it does matter to me, but once I walk in this door, I gotta leave all of that outside. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? I gotta leave all of that outside and keep going. But yeah, man, that night it was like 2015.

SPEAKER_03 23:08

This might have been what did you yeah, what did you play? What was so what were you playing at the person was just that's that's the thing. I wasn't even playing that.

SPEAKER_05 23:17

I well at least I don't think I was playing nothing crazy or nothing whack, but I guess just for that particular crowd, because at the time to probably see him, yeah, you know what I mean? And plus I'm I'm brand new. I'm probably like 23, 24 at the time. And this crowd is probably in their 30s, 30s, you know what I mean? So they're they're they're listening to things that that I'm listening to what they're listening to, but I'm still in college mode. Yes, you know what I'm saying? So and and and and not realizing or just not thinking it like yo, this is an adult crowd, yeah, so they're probably gonna get it or gravitate towards more songs from a particular era that I'm not playing. I'm playing more contemporary, current stuff. That's happened to me before. You know what I'm saying? But this crowd, they they want something from when I was in like ninth grades.

SPEAKER_03 24:05

Yeah, they want to hear you mix Tupac with cash money, early 2000s. Mm-hmm. And you was like, nah, I'm playing the recent music. Yeah, they didn't want nostalgics. But I'm playing what's hot right now, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 24:18

Yeah, because mind you, you know, in college, house parties, I'm killing. Yeah, and even at that particular club, Route 77, I was having great nights, but it was just that particular Saturday. It it and mind you, it wasn't like a a like a stretch where I'm bombing for like an hour straight. It's just that guy with just being in, you know what I mean, just just being lame.

unknown 24:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:40

I had a pr I had a DJ talk about this. Um, he was like, I'm sorry, y'all. I can't just be at any particular place that you want me to be at that night. It doesn't work that way. We normally have residencies, we have places we're supposed to be at, right? And that's what you run into sometimes as DJs. And I remember having to run into this issue is that hey, I'm here filling in for this DJ, because I remember I filled in for like all that and substantially go into the spot that can't be there or move who he wasn't there, so I filled in, right? And when they go in there, they're looking to get the same exact experience. And you cannot do that. 100%. Yeah, it don't work that way. Like unless the man's just gonna give me a set list.

unknown 25:17

Right.

SPEAKER_03 25:18

It don't work that way.

SPEAKER_05 25:19

Even even with even with set list, with me, I I go in, I'm free, I'm just freestyling. I'm not, I don't have anything prepared. Yeah, that's what I like doing. Yeah, I'm going, I'm just going straight in. I'm going to call it. Yeah, exactly. I'm feeling a crowd going on, going on going off what I see. But yeah, man, that was like I said, uh, I still think I'm good.

SPEAKER_04 25:37

I can tell that was kind of asked. I was like, I know what's happened.

SPEAKER_05 25:41

Man, listen, man. So yeah, so I'm I'm I'm super big on just um connecting or trying to connect with the crowd for as long as possible. Because you know, you know what I mean? We're there from like four to four four four to five hours. Easy. You know what I mean? And we gotta be on it the entire time. You don't need to break. Honestly.

SPEAKER_03 25:59

It's not like a band take a five or ten. That's not happening.

SPEAKER_05 26:03

You know what I mean? So yeah, I I gotta have my foot on the gas the entire time.

SPEAKER_03 26:07

I'll let you know when I came to see you, you was fired. Oh, respect. Respect is not a problem. You have my wife, they know my you know my wife, my wife is dancing. Yeah, she don't be out there dancing like that. Respect. So yeah, you was fired.

SPEAKER_05 26:17

Respect. I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_02 26:18

Now I'll say this question I got for you, because like I said, you started, you started in 2014, it's 2026 now. And of course, as DJ, you have different environments that you're in. But we'll talk specifically just about like your contemporary club right now. Um, how much do you think has changed just from the environment, even as a good DJ, like you're hitting, you're connecting with them. How much has the art, the crowd changed from 2014 to now?

SPEAKER_05 26:46

Man, the thing I see the most is everything is going towards lounge culture. So there's a lot of chairs. Well, there used to be a dance floor now. Oh, you're right. It's chairs, tables, sections. Yeah. So now it feels like I have to from 2020 on up, it just it just feels like I have to work a lot harder to again connect with people versus from 2019 on back, things felt like everybody really came to party. Yeah. Now it it appears like people come to enjoy the vibe, but there isn't much interaction. Yeah, there's much interaction. And so it's it's weird now because the way I view people to view view it with like people having fun, I see a lot of this. Like a lot of people holding up their phones, a lot of people like, you know what I mean? Like there isn't there is dancing, dancing, but but it's like you know, I don't know. It's it's it's it's just it's just different. Sometimes, I'll be honest, I don't like it for real. Because again, like you gotta just it feels like you gotta work a lot harder and try to get the same effect you yeah. So sometimes if I'm at a spot or like a lounge, or so to speak, it's like whatever I'm playing, it's like I'm I'm throwing paint out paint at a wall, trying to figure out what's working. You know what I'm saying? Like, all right, let me let me try some dance hall, let's see if this works. Let's try, let's try some 90s, let's try New Jack Swingless, you know what I mean, just some trap. Like, let me try something. But some places, I know what they want. Like sometimes they just want just one specific thing, that's it, and that's it. And sometimes I'm okay with that. Because sometimes

Lounge Culture Changed The Dance Floor

SPEAKER_05 28:32

I'll be honest, I like to I like to be ignorant and play, you know what I mean? Just what? Uh-huh. I know what you mean. You know what I'm saying? Like, all right, let's let's play a lot of club records, let's play a lot of stuff for the women, and you know, we we can lock in and just have some fun. But it's it it for sure is it's definitely a difference from like 10 years ago. It's it's a big difference.

SPEAKER_03 28:50

And I like what you said too, though, like the change in the club culture culture. It's gonna be a great conversation. So with um, and I wrote and I know what you mean. And I watched watch the change occur. And I'll tell you, and you you're gonna know understand this because you you did house parties. And from doing a house party, what you realize is people moving and dancing, that energy that it creates, it creates like a fever frenzy. Yeah. So as you play your music and as the people are feeling it, you're feeling you're getting a vibe off of them, they're getting a vibe off of you, and it's infectious. Once you start getting into a club, you can still get the same feeling, but it's for some people they have to warm up or they may need libations. But once that starts rolling, you're gonna get the same effect. Yeah. Lounge culture, especially with the purchasing of sections, basically you have 10 to 15 different mini parties going on at once. A thousand percent. Say it. And if this is not like some silent disco where people got their headphones on listening to music that they want to listen to, you're trying to figure out how to keep 12 to 15 different parties jumping at once. Exactly. You busting your ass. Pardon my front. That's a lot of work, bro.

SPEAKER_05 30:06

That's that's what I'm saying. You gotta work a lot harder now with in these lounges, in these clubs, man. Everybody wants the hookah, yeah. They want the they want the drinks and everything. They eating full meals. Yeah, man, man. That's the thing, man. You like y'all really in here to eat for real.

SPEAKER_02 30:22

That's that red velvet. Yo, red velvet wings.

SPEAKER_05 30:27

Yo, and I'm someone crazy. And that's the thing, man. I'm someone like when I play, I I like to play just off momentum. So if if we going, then if we roll, then we're rolling. Yeah. So if if I see people like standing up on chairs and all that, all right, then I know I'm I'm I'm I'm killing.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 30:44

But but it's it's different because I could be killing, but they sitting down and grooving, like, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_04 30:51

Yeah, like I'm incredible. I'm a hookah, I'm getting it now. Yeah, I like this guy. I like D mystery.

SPEAKER_03 30:57

That's making me feel it. Right.

SPEAKER_05 31:02

Yeah, and that's the thing, like, and that's and that's cool, I guess, but I like to see like actual movement. Yeah. So if if I'm not seeing it the way I would like to, then I feel like, man, sometimes it's it's kind of going, or what I'm doing is kind of going like unnoticed or just a bit underappreciated.

SPEAKER_03 31:19

Because you're bringing skills, you're bringing repertoire. Like you said, you're an actual musician.

SPEAKER_05 31:24

Yeah, and for me, man, listen, I didn't go to school to learn music theory for nothing. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And go to ear training class for nothing. Yeah. And study all these, study everything. Yeah. You know what I mean? So I like to learn from what I took from going from SC, going being at SC State and applying that, what I learned as just a musician, and applying that to being a DJ and all of that. So I like to, you know, just really showcase what I can do and bring some bring some type of bring some type of musicality. But with with certain places, you know, you just you you go appreciate it. Yeah, you you know what I mean? Just go in, try to perform as best you can, and then we get the money and then we out. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:04

Go ahead. All right. So based off what you said, what would you say is you're probably if you could, because you, because of course, man, like you got you're like, so many words, you're like a music historian for a lot of people. Respect. Right. Um, not even just with uh when you're on shows, but even with your mixtapes. What would you say is you're probably your your favorite time period to play in a lot when you're live?

SPEAKER_05 32:24

Man, I'll be honest, I I love the mid-2000s, like 06, 07, 08. Stuff from when I was like 15, 16. Because that like again, man, that that crunk era.

SPEAKER_03 32:39

Try to tell people.

SPEAKER_05 32:41

It was so much fun. Yeah, you know what I mean? So that so that era um it resonates with me the most because that's what I was listening to a lot. Yeah, I still have all of my CDs from when I was being young.

SPEAKER_03 32:52

The CDs?

SPEAKER_05 32:52

100%.

unknown 32:53

Wow.

SPEAKER_05 32:54

Wow. 100%. Listen, man. Uh two, two, no, three book, three full CD books. Yeah, man. Mixed CDs that I burned myself, albums that I've but that I bought. Like I said, man, I was I was begging on my mom and dad to get his business version. So once I so once I, you know what I mean, saving up money and all that, like, all right, let's go to let's go to Sounds Familiar. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Go there. Cause they they they had what I what I loved. I couldn't go to Walmart. I could go to Walmart, but again, it's clean. Yeah, clean right.

SPEAKER_01 33:26

That's before they even sold anything.

SPEAKER_05 33:28

Yeah, you ain't getting it there. Yeah, so it's it's either we go to Sounds Familiar or at the time, uh, Manifest Discontained. You know what I'm saying? So we're yeah, so like my dad and I would go out there because he listen, my my collection of music, nothing in comparison to what he had. I agree.

SPEAKER_01 33:47

That's uh I agree. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 33:49

What do you see like a vinyl collector? A hundred thousand percent. It's it's still vinyl in the in the crib now. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, man. So that era, the mid-2000s, I I love, I love the most. Even even RB from that time.

SPEAKER_03 34:03

I know people saying.

SPEAKER_05 34:04

Yeah, like people, I know people like revere the 80s and the 90s, which are which are great eras. But I think um, like when I started really knowing how to comprehend what's going on, yeah, the 05-06 era, um, it resonated with me with RB as well. Like, I remember that T T Pain's first album.

SPEAKER_04 34:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 34:26

Yeah, that his first album. A friend of mine introduced me to it, and just production alone now was incredible. And he did it all himself. Yeah. The from like every every playing everything. Everything's so underrated. Super, super. So like for me, that album introduced me to start listening to listening to some more army. So yeah, the mid 2000s, I love that. I love that for sure.

SPEAKER_03 34:51

Um obviously we were talking about trends. Music, trends, etc. Um, where we are where we are now, right? With music, which is what it is, yeah. Um I know we asked this question of everybody dealing in creative, and so we're gonna ask this question to you. AI. Um, as a DJ specifically, how do you feel that AI is gonna affect your lane and what it is that you do?

SPEAKER_05 35:26

That's a good question. Um I see the advantages that AI has, but nothing beats an actual person performing, playing, and um, you know, all of that. So I think I think AI has its advantages, but what I think the disadvantages is just it's gonna make certain people kind of lazy, for lack of better terms, and it's gonna uh stifle creativity. Or it it could bring out the best in creativity, but it's not gonna be as dope as it could be because you have some something doing it for you. So it it takes away that that that that that feel, and I'm a person that's super big on just the feeling. I've I've to me I think I work super hard and just trying to create a feeling. Because it's one thing to just, like I said, be technical with it and learn these notes, or learn how some hardware works, but if you're unable to create a feeling, then it's like man, what's the point? Or or try to be um distinctive with your sound, it's like what's the point? But and and AI, it's great. I've heard some good things from it, but man, I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 36:43

I I have you ever utilized it?

SPEAKER_05 36:46

Not nah, not not not probably not like I like not how I should have, honestly, or try to take advantage of it. Because again, man, I think it's kind of like a crutch, but kind of in a in a bad

AI Tools Versus Human Feel

SPEAKER_05 36:59

way for real. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 37:00

But it's a crutch that this is how I look at it. I'm telling you, this is DJ DJ. Yeah, for sure. I I've I've had um I've used certain programming to to make playlists, like long format playlists, right? That you would take. Because I remember at one time I was running a little uh radio station on live 365, this back in the day, like this 2014, 2015, right? Back in the day, and I was running this station and I used um at the time it was Mix Meiser, it wasn't full AI, but it was machine written, written, right? So it would put you drop your songs in, it'll mix and blend them by itself, it'll run it on my station, ran the station 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I ain't had to mess with nothing. Keep it clocking, right? For sure. That was a cool tool for me to use at the time, right? Because it's not something that I'm going out to deliver as a product to people, right? Right?

SPEAKER_05 37:48

Right.

SPEAKER_03 37:48

Have you and this is the question I'm coming up with because I'm looking at how Serato has changed, how your equipment has changed when it comes to DJing. Like the fact that technically you don't even need you don't need needles no more for records if you can't use a record like to mess with a record. Um, you don't need a hard drive anymore. You just need Wi-Fi. Yeah, and technically, it will get your crates, make your set list. You can even take somebody's set list, a known DJ. Exactly. You can take their set list and play it. Exactly. And it'll play it for you.

SPEAKER_05 38:25

That's the thing, man. Like with that, I can see how they design it. It can be resourceful, yeah, but again, man, like it can make some people lazy, and it might, it's gonna create certain advantages where people can move ahead of someone that's super nice, yeah, that might not utilize certain things, yeah. And someone who it who might not be as dope can get further because they're doing or using X, Y, and Z to get to get further along, DJing or whatever. So Devil's advocate.

SPEAKER_03 38:56

Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean. Yeah. Is that okay? Ready? It at the and this is where, especially in our community, I always like to say this, especially in in the hip-hop community, we have these discussions around morality, and it always gets shaded when it comes to money. For sure. We will give away our souls for the mighty dollar. Yeah, it's almighty dollar.

SPEAKER_02 39:20

Ultimately it comes down to what AI, and this is like I said, this is just my take. I think it's whether what what do you value the process or you do that or you value the results? So if you're if your your value is more or less placed on the results, of course, you're gonna be more drawn to AI. Whereas if you're in the if it's about the process for you, you're not you're not gonna be, you're gonna be a little bit of a human action.

unknown 39:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:45

I do think it's something about that process. Like you said, it's something about you going in and figuring out how to actually connect with people as of just putting a playlist on. Yeah, yeah. Because if not, like I said, the club could destroy a playlist on. Exactly. Spotify. Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 39:59

Spotify the whole time. But it can't it can't connect to the crowd. And it don't drop a record the way you drop a record, and when it's time to drop the record. Exactly. There's certain songs. There's certain songs, right? There's certain parts of the songs. When it's time, you could just cut that record and drop the next one the right way. Or design. The whole club go crazy. Exactly. Like, I mean, people start popping, stuff starts dropping from the floor, money start flying around. You got people running to hit backflips. And they were like, What happened? It's the way that he interrupted the record. No doubt. That's what happened at a club when I was there when you were playing. No, bro. I'm just telling you, Nisha was dancing. Shout out to Nisha. I have a uh I have a question.

SPEAKER_00 40:44

Um Cliff, can you talk about the COVID era and how you had to transition into doing stuff from home and obviously being comfortable speaking on the mic as a DJ?

SPEAKER_05 40:54

Yeah, yeah, right. Yeah. So when when when COVID hit, man, it changed everything, man. Club shutting down. I'm on I'm unable to move around as much as I did. So alright, now now we're in adjustment mode. So alright, now I gotta learn how to get on uh Zoom, go look go live on these platforms and all of that. And again, man, learning how to connect with people through this screen now versus you know in the actual building. So, alright, again, knowing what works, what doesn't. Now I gotta I'm not at the time I got I gotta think about engagement, I gotta think about all these numbers, and just trying to trying to figure out like, alright, what works, what doesn't. But man, that was that was a weird time. It was it was a it was a fun time, but overall it was a weird time because like man, it was just it was just so different than what I'm used to. Granted, I'm a super introvert, so I'm down with being inside the house. Yeah, I'm down just kicking it, whatever. But it it got to a point where man, it it can't be like this forever. It's no it's no way we this is this is where we are, but at the time it felt like it. So, all right, I gotta figure out like, yo, like what first of all, what's going on right now? Because everything is is in a disarray. So what are we doing? And well, if we if we're here now, let me use these resources to keep it going, keep keep some type of money flow coming in,

COVID Livestreams And Reinvention

SPEAKER_05 42:30

and and and go from there. But yeah, like go going through that era and figuring out what works, how to connect. Again, I'm I'm super I I keep saying that, but being able to connect with somebody through music is important. So if y'all like these particular songs, all right, then cool. So and I got I gotta be creative now. So like this this night might be RB night, this night on live or whatever, it might be uh something for the ladies, you know what I mean, or just whatever. You know what I mean? Just trying to figure out I might I might mess around, do some do some house or whatever. Yeah, just try to figure out what's what it is. Like I could I could be as creative as I want to, but if I'm not getting these numbers or whatever, then hey, we doesn't matter we back to the we back to the drawing board. But yeah, that COVID was a was a uh an interesting time to say the least for sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 43:23

Um I know we have to get ready to wrap up, right? Um, but obviously we're gonna let you do some shameless plugs. Do your drops, that's what we're doing.

SPEAKER_02 43:30

Oh, we can ask the other question. The main question. So we always ask a question every comes over here. Um but work life balance. How do you maintain, like, you know, of course, you're always your job is to be outside. Yeah, late. Late. And like I said, I've known you for years. Like most people know you like you're you're an introvert. Yeah. So you so I know you value your time, you know, like your time to yourself and being at house. Like, how do you maintain all that? How do you balance it?

SPEAKER_05 43:56

Man, I'm so selfish with it. Like once we done uh plan, you know what I mean? We I get through my Thursday through Saturday or Wednesday through Sunday or whatever it whatever it is. Once that's it, man, don't look for me. I'm chill I'm chilling, I'm chilling at the house, I'm doing what I gotta do, and doing that unapologetically. Yeah. So I'm not, I'm listening man, I'm I'm about that. Like if I'm working, then we then I'm locked in. But once I'm out, I'm in the bed or I'm watching YouTube. I'm just chilling. Yeah. Ain't nothing extra going on. I'm laying low and that's it, man. Recharge your batteries. Yeah, I mess. Listen, I need to. Yeah. I need to. So like work my my work life balance, I'm working, then I'm not. So I'm listening man, I'm I'm big on chilling, and that's it.

SPEAKER_03 44:51

I like what you said. Like I said, being selfish. Because you're being selfish for the right reason. No. You have to, especially as DJ. And I'll tell people, man, people don't realize this. I was stupid. Um people say, we mean it was stupid. I was in I was in college. And can't tell you because he was the one that put me in the spot too. I was in college, DJing, and I had a I had an eight o'clock calculus

Balance, Booking, And Final Words

SPEAKER_03 45:12

class. I'm finishing up 3-4 in the morning and get up and go to the calculus class. Tough. That was not smart. Tough. Yeah, I'm telling y'all, that was not, that was not wise. That was not wise. Not wise. But people don't realize that's what you're when you're DJing. You're you're living those two different lives. And it's it's it's a little rough. Listen, man. Just to buy that.

SPEAKER_05 45:34

Like, like I said, I started DJing the end of my senior year of college. So I'm DJing at uh Route 77 Orangeburg at the time. It's cloud nine now. Or the nine now, but at the time it was Route 77 Orangeburg. I'm DJing, it was what, Thursday or Friday night? I gotta, I'm graduating the next morning. Like 8 30. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like fall graduation. Um, yeah, so that night I get home or get back to my dorm at like 2, 3 in the morning. Gotta wake up. You know what I mean? I remember my roommate calling, like, yo, we gotta go. You know what I'm saying? We gotta get up. It's early. I remember uh I I didn't see it at the time, but my dad was texting me just making sure I make because he's like, because we walked in, but he didn't see me, so he thought I'm he just he thought I missed it. Yep. I'm like, man, I know it's no way. Listen, I'm I've been at SC State for like five, five and a half years. He's like, I'm making this. Man, I don't care what happened the night before. I'm getting up, and you know what I mean? Yeah, we made it, but yeah, man, like I feel you. Yeah for sure.

SPEAKER_03 46:39

That was a grind. People don't realize it's a grind. Even when you're doing it, you're your full time, it's a grind. But I want to make sure this is your camera over here. I want you to uh let people know what you have going on, where they can find you, and how they can get your services.

SPEAKER_05 46:50

Yeah, for sure. One time um for everybody from Hopkins, South Carolina, long live my mom and dad. I love y'all, Miss Shaw. But you can find me, MissCloud, misscloud.com slash CTSP. MerchCTsp.bigcartel.com, uh Instagram, Cliff the Superproducer, Twitter, I was gonna say it's still it's still Twitter to me. It's still Twitter to me. Cliff underscore got underscore bees. It's Cliff with one F. But yeah, man, Clip Superproducer, I'm everywhere. Google it. You know what I mean? It's all up. And I appreciate y'all, man.

SPEAKER_03 47:25

Tell them where you're where you where you be at so they can catch you out there.

SPEAKER_05 47:27

Oh, listen, man. Uh I'm at RB Barn Grog in Columbia every Thursday night. Um I'll bounce around from like true to Columbia, barcode, um, Sky Bistro, man, who whoever, whoever is booking, whoever's calling, I'm there. You know what I mean? So I'm listening we we get into it. We showing love, we putting out great content. So find me anywhere, everywhere. And it's it's all good, man. I again I appreciate y'all.

SPEAKER_03 47:55

It's always a great vibe when you're gonna tell people that. Respect one from one. But for the Hilltop Glove Podcast, this is DJ and what? Skip. Wait, wait, Mike and our esteemed guests.

SPEAKER_05 48:07

CCSP, Clip Superducer, man. Love.

SPEAKER_03 48:09

We appreciate you being here with us today, brother. We're gonna have you back on, obviously. Let's do it. Come on. Let's do it. Um, and if you have things going on or or specific events, especially if it's something different from what you do, please let us know so we can share to our guests so they can, I mean to our audience so they can pay attention. But until the next time, please tell somebody next to them that you love and you appreciate them. You don't always get a chance to do that, and sometimes we fail to do it when we should. So make sure you let somebody know. And the Hilltop Glove Podcast, we appreciate y'all. Please like, share, and subscribe. We will see you next time. Peace.