K-Def had some of his underground classics sampled by rap royalty. And he’s okay with that.

As one of the most slept-on producers of the past decade, K-Def has orchestrated gems such as “Chief Rocka” and “Funky Child” for the Lords of the Underground, as well as producing for his own group, Real Live, with the underground classic “Real Live Shit (Remix)” featuring Ghostface.

Along with bringing the noise to other artists such as Tragedy, Mic Geronimo, and Nonchalant, this sonic innovator has been sampled himself by rap royalty including the Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, and even by Fatboy Slim.

Recently, K-Def’s been making it happen by strengthening Tony Starks’ armor throughout The Pretty Toney Album, causing a commotion with the controversial cut, “True’d Up” by Jay-O Felony, and contributing heavily to Russell Jones’ Osirus mixtape. Peep how New Jerusalem’s finest still lives for the funk.

Scratch How did growing up in Passaic, New Jersey, as opposed to New York City, affect your early involvement in the game?

K-DEF I may not be from New York, but people got to give me some love, ’cause I’ve done stuff with major dudes from New York plus some. After my stints with break dancing and rapping, in my early teen years, I got my DJ equipment and started doing parties around the way. Special K and Teddy Tedd of the Awesome Two were from New Jersey as well and dealt with big dogs like Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, Nice & Smooth, among others. So, I started rocking with them. That led to my doing popular NYC clubs such as MK’s and Cuando’s at 17. Eventually, I linked up with my cousin Larry-O and formed Real Live. I feel if you’re a beatmaker but not a DJ as well, there’s a particular essence that you’ve lost right from the door.

Fast-forwarding a bit, you were one of the last producers to work with ODB before he passed.

Yeah, I sat down with him and he was like, “Yo, I’m feeling your tracks.” It’s a shame he passed away before he got to hear everything completed. I’m just thankful to have had the opportunity to work with him before he left us.

B.I.G. sampled “Chief Rocka” on his “Machine Gun Funk” and even wanted it to be his first single. How’d you come up with that track?

I remember when I played it, Doitall from the Lords got so amped, he knocked the console over in Marley Marl’s studio. However, their former manager did me dirty and claimed I used some samples in it that I didn’t. To this day, I’m still owed a lot of money from publishing and royalty points behind that. I’ve lost a lot, business-wise, by the fact nobody was really telling me shit when I was younger. I know the business now, because I was forced to learn it.

You reworked David Porter’s “The Masquerade Is Over” beautifully for Ghostface’s “It’s Over.”

Since I had worked with him back in the day, he invited me down to Miami to contribute on his Pretty Toney project. After I tracked it, he was like, “Yo, we need some interludes.” So, we collabed and I did all the interludes on the album. He also wound up using a few tracks I gave him on the Theodore Unit’s 718 album. We’re two old-school niggas, so the vibe between us is automatic. He’s real with his, and I love him to death. I’ll be back working on his next album real soon.

Flipping the script a little, what’s your take on “ghost production”?

Nah, I can’t rock with that. I’ve been the “little man” before and took the loss. Your catalog is what keeps you in the game. Giving up your credit to someone that already has one doesn’t make you look good at all.

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