Growing up outside of San Francisco, Hip Hop producer Sir Veterano had been making a name for himself throughout the mid 2000s into the early ‘10’s. Then, in 2013, the native Californian suddenly called it quits.
Veterano, who has already crafted tracks for the likes of top tier emcees such as Murs, Kool G Rap, Ras Kass, Planet Asia and Mad Skillz, to name some, finally reemerged in ‘20 and has been creating dope music ever since.
To quote the late, great The Notorious B.I.G., “You never thought that Hip Hop would take it this far!” — Was this something that you ever could’ve imagined?
A: Something I could have never imagined is working with artists that I literally grew up listening to in grade school and high school. Even becoming friends with some of these artists. It’s a bit surreal.
What are some of your fondest, most stand-out moments / memories during your lengthy tenure in this thing called Hip Hop?
A: Oh, man, where do I start? Having my first album release party and having an entire venue sing happy birthday because it happened to land on the same weekend as the release party. DJ Premier endorsed my record “Reputable” and debuted it on his Shade45 show by beat juggling and filming it as a promo. Getting a call from Mitchy Slick at midnight telling me he just sent over E-40’s verse for our song “Klack You Out.” I was lying in bed, in the house I grew up listening to E-40, to now hearing him over one of my beats in the very same house. Mind blowing. Being on the World Famous Wake Up Show for an interview as well.
That said, what are your future plans and / or goals throughout the remainder of 2024 and beyond?
A: My plans moving forward are to still focus on pushing out all the music I’ve done on Fresh Yard Records. We’ve done a lot of work and there’s a lot of music that still hasn’t seen the light of day. Additionally, I relaunched my own personal brand and have a lot of future plans to release more eclectic music along with special edition vinyl and a lot more. I’m inspired and excited for the future.
Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?
A: When you listen to my music, I want people to hear the genuine passion for the song. Everything I make these days with artists is done because I’m choosing to do it and care about it. It isn’t about checks anymore. It’s about music legacy now.
If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
A: I’d love to work with Kendrick Lamar. Not only is he just a great lyricist, but he takes his craft very seriously. His passion for music is very evident, and I’m drawn to artists who share the same kind of passion and focus to their music.
If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?
A: Probably The Hollywood Bowl. If you play that venue, you really know you’ve made it.
On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?
A: Look, I’m an older Hip Hop head now so of course I’m going to have issues with some of the music that’s out now. However, I understand that music’s forever evolving. Throughout history, older generations of certain music genres have always pushed back at the newer generation’s interpretation of the genre’s music. Ultimately, the new generations bring new ideas. Some of those ideas I’ve been able to add to my skillset, so I’m embracing the current state of Hip Hop.
What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?
A: The ideas don’t turn off. The inspiration is still floating around. So as long as I have a breath in my body and still love music, I’ll always be here working.
Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?
A: I still have a 9-5. I left the music business in the early ’10’s to get my life together. I came back in 2020 when I was back up. What it did was give me perspective on what I really want. And what I really want long-term is to have a secured retirement with my wife and make the music I make now. If my homebase is solid, everything else in life is healthy.
…On a lighter note, I do have aspirations to move into the Bourbon /Rye / Whiskey business as an owner. We’ll see.
What’s an average day like for you?
A: Well, it’s getting up to feed the cats and dogs. Jump in the studio to get some work in. Work my 9-5 at the same time because I’m an area supervisor so I don’t always need to be in the field. Wait for the wife to come home, go to dinner, walk the dogs, and relax with the wife and call it a day. I’m a simple man.
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans…
A: I love that anyone finds any interest in what I do so I give fans as much dialog online or in real life as appropriate. I do still keep (a) wall up between my real life and fans, but I’m always willing to talk to them. They could be fans of anyone, so I never take that for granted.
What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?
A: My favorite part of this music business is the creation of the music itself. To know a record started as nothing and was built into a piece of art is the apex of fulfillment for me. On the flip side, my most least favorite parts are dealing with artists (sometimes). Full-time artists usually have never had a job before, so they don’t always adhere to the same timelines, respectful dialog, and professionalism that the general public usually has. That is always challenging. Love it and hate it as the same time.
What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
A: DON’T QUIT YOUR JOB! I know people out there want to feel like they have to quit their jobs so they can be successful at their music craft, but the reality is a very, very small percentage of us have well-paid music careers and it isn’t worth risking your future life for another studio session. It is possible to do both. Take me as an example.
Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?
A: As far as music, I see myself with some platinum plaques. I see my personal brand having grown exponentially to the point where I can be comfortable retiring from my 9-5 and transition full-time into music. I have a lot of plans and we just have to see how it turns out. Check back in with me in five years and we’ll do another interview to see how it went.
Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?
A: Everything was solid.
Any “parting” words for our readers?
A: Thank you for reading this y’all. I have many releases coming this year and next so be sure to check in with me to hear the latest of what I’ve got. Some dope stuff on the way!
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