Get on track with Larry Smith, Run-DMC’s original beat conductor.
story brian coleman
“the producer today is more of an artist,” states legendary producer Larry Smith, with some disdain. “But the real meaning of a producer is someone who brings the best out of an artist. He doesn’t make himself the artist. In this day and age I’m just never sure how much the artist actually brings to the table.”
Is that a curmudgeonly thing to say? Yes, it is. But he’s right, and you know it. He continues, “I come from a band era. I’m a bass player by trade, so I get inspired by working with people and listening to them. Then we go to work and make something together.”
No one in the hip-hop world has more of a right to talk about the rise of the Super Producer than St. Albans, Queens’ Lawrence Smith, because he was one of the first. Back when Kurtis Blow laid down “Christmas Rappin’” in 1979, Smith – a journeyman R&B and jazz bassist at the time – was there. And when Run-DMC needed someone to produce their world-shaking 1983 debut single, “It’s Like That / Sucker MCs,” Smith was most definitely there. He and Russell Simmons, who co-produced, were Rush-Groove Productions.
“‘Sucker MCs’ was just them and a drum machine,” he recalls. “But if I had had the budget, I would have hired live performers on the whole first Run-DMC album. Russell and I made those early records any way we could.” As it turned out, an Oberheim DMX drum machine and Prophet-5 keyboard were all they needed to turn the music world on its ear. It was a crucial transition: from the live band era epitomized by Sugar Hill and Kurtis Blow to the pared-down, electronically-enhanced sounds that would rule the ’80s.
Along with the first two groundbreaking Run-DMC albums, Smith had even higher heights to climb with his first solo production, Whodini. The group had other producers for their first self-titled LP in 1983, but Jive Records smartly brought Smith in to do the job right, even if the label didn’t know it at first. He remembers, “With Escape [from 1984, which eventually went platinum], Jive didn’t even want it at first. They wanted the group to sound like Run-DMC, not slick like Whodini really were. But once the records started selling, they didn’t mind as much [laughs].”
Smith continued a very impressive hip-hop run throughout the ’80s, but by the end of the decade he stepped out of the game. “When money got more important than loyalty in the business, I started to step away. But the biggest thing was that I just couldn’t bring myself to sample. As a musician, I just couldn’t use something that I didn’t create myself.” He adds, with a smirk: “Of course, people sample me now, and I don’t mind taking their money.”
Smith still produces and performs – recently with Kurtis Blow’s Hip-Hop Church – and he also makes music as part of Zoe Ministries in Manhattan (where Reverend Run is a minister). But he’s ready to get back into the hip-hop game. “My equipment is on,” he says, staring wistfully at his board. “I’m just waiting for the inspiration, the artist, to make me want to use it.” Anyone out there up for the challenge?\
Check out the latest issue for our year-end wrap-up, Tales from the Booth with Project Pat, Grandmaster Caz and J-Live build, and more...
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story brian coleman
“the producer today is more of an artist,” states legendary producer Larry Smith, with some disdain. “But the real meaning of a producer is someone who brings the best out of an artist. He doesn’t make himself the artist. In this day and age I’m just never sure how much the artist actually brings to the table.”
Is that a curmudgeonly thing to say? Yes, it is. But he’s right, and you know it. He continues, “I come from a band era. I’m a bass player by trade, so I get inspired by working with people and listening to them. Then we go to work and make something together.”
No one in the hip-hop world has more of a right to talk about the rise of the Super Producer than St. Albans, Queens’ Lawrence Smith, because he was one of the first. Back when Kurtis Blow laid down “Christmas Rappin’” in 1979, Smith – a journeyman R&B and jazz bassist at the time – was there. And when Run-DMC needed someone to produce their world-shaking 1983 debut single, “It’s Like That / Sucker MCs,” Smith was most definitely there. He and Russell Simmons, who co-produced, were Rush-Groove Productions.
“‘Sucker MCs’ was just them and a drum machine,” he recalls. “But if I had had the budget, I would have hired live performers on the whole first Run-DMC album. Russell and I made those early records any way we could.” As it turned out, an Oberheim DMX drum machine and Prophet-5 keyboard were all they needed to turn the music world on its ear. It was a crucial transition: from the live band era epitomized by Sugar Hill and Kurtis Blow to the pared-down, electronically-enhanced sounds that would rule the ’80s.
Along with the first two groundbreaking Run-DMC albums, Smith had even higher heights to climb with his first solo production, Whodini. The group had other producers for their first self-titled LP in 1983, but Jive Records smartly brought Smith in to do the job right, even if the label didn’t know it at first. He remembers, “With Escape [from 1984, which eventually went platinum], Jive didn’t even want it at first. They wanted the group to sound like Run-DMC, not slick like Whodini really were. But once the records started selling, they didn’t mind as much [laughs].”
Smith continued a very impressive hip-hop run throughout the ’80s, but by the end of the decade he stepped out of the game. “When money got more important than loyalty in the business, I started to step away. But the biggest thing was that I just couldn’t bring myself to sample. As a musician, I just couldn’t use something that I didn’t create myself.” He adds, with a smirk: “Of course, people sample me now, and I don’t mind taking their money.”
Smith still produces and performs – recently with Kurtis Blow’s Hip-Hop Church – and he also makes music as part of Zoe Ministries in Manhattan (where Reverend Run is a minister). But he’s ready to get back into the hip-hop game. “My equipment is on,” he says, staring wistfully at his board. “I’m just waiting for the inspiration, the artist, to make me want to use it.” Anyone out there up for the challenge?\
Check out the latest issue for our year-end wrap-up, Tales from the Booth with Project Pat, Grandmaster Caz and J-Live build, and more...
Or get 8 Issues for only $12, Subscribe Now! Save 70% off the newsstand price!!!