BIO
Native Atlantan Justin Padron immersed himself in a world of music at a young age. At 10 he had started playing guitar, and by 14 he had taught himself how DJ. After DJing at gatherings of his friends and family for several years he quickly became the resident DJ at his alma mater Grady High School. There he further distinguished himself as an expert in media technology by serving as the audio director of the high school news network. This position allowed him to experiment with instrumentals for news segments and featured stories. Before graduating from high school he started producing music for up and coming local artists and worked as a commercial party DJ for a nationally syndicated company.

Justin has continued to not only produce instrumentals for recording artists of many genres, but has also helped many other aspiring musicians and producers to learn the technical skills and overall philosophy necessary to fully develop their own creative endeavors. These technical skills were able to more fully develop into what can accurately be described as expertise through his internship at Music House Studios in Atlanta. After this 2007 internship ended, he stayed on at the studio as an assistant engineer and worked with many renowned producers such as Drumma Boy, Rich Harrison and Bryan Michael Cox and with many prominent engineers such as Alec Newell, Dru Castro, Halo, Mark “Exit” Goodchild and Seth Firkins.

Justin continues to produce music for many established and up-and-coming artists, such as the Youngbloodz, Ne-Yo, Taio Cruz, Donnis, OJ Da Juiceman, Nappy Roots, Shawty Redd and many others. Justin joined SMKA in Janurary 2010 and became a vital producer behind the Jarren Benton meets SMKA project. Justin brings a unique style to the SMKA team, and has the ability to create big records for southern rap and pop.

Related posts:

1. [Music Video] Tom P – “Root For The Underdog” (Prod. by Justin Padron of SMKA) Machine gun spitter and frequent SMKA collaborator has release, what...
2. Artist Sensey a.k.a Robert Earl McDaniel ll Artist Sensey: Producer / Audio Engineer BIO Robert Earl McDaniel...
3. 808 Blake a.k.a Blake German 808 Blake: Producer BIO SMKA Productions is fueled by the...

He spent his first 18 years in Atlanta, the next 4 in New Hampshire, and is in the middle of his 2nd year in New York City. He will continue to hop around the country and world until it is time to come back home and reclaim what is rightfully his.

He’s been associated w/ SMKA before its existence, and while lacking anything resembling talent, is excited to contribute the occasional post about music, culture, sexting, Atlanta, and everything in between.

For more information, check out his blog 500 Days Asunder and for any dirt on 808Blake or Mike Walbert circa 2002, just shoot him a email.

Related posts:

1. Nate Dogg’s 9 Acts of Philanthropy by Rembert Browne I have loved Nate Dogg as long as I have...
2. Affix Music: Featured Music Provider = SMKA (w/ Interview) ABOUT AFFIX Affix Music—Urban music licensing made easy Affix Music...
3. Review: SMKA’s “The 808 Experiment – Vol. 3″ by Rembert Browne This morning I woke up, made a phone call to...

Mike Walbert is a Partner and the active Artist Director of A3C Hip-Hop Festival, which is one of the largest annual hip-hop events in the US.

Mike spent his first year out of college, in Atlanta, working as the marketing director for a local snack foods company. After a year, or so, of experience under his belt, he left the company to launch his own business ventures. In addition to his work with SMKA, Mike has co-founded several small start-up companies (including, Hotlanta Hot Sauce) and continues to consult for start-up ventures and brands.

Education: University of Southern California: Business/Entrepreneurship

Interview (2009) from Artist Music House

Related posts:

1. Mike Walbert (of SMKA & A3C Artist Director) talkes with Creative Loafing about A3C Chante Lagon and Chad Radford talk with SMKA co-owner Mike...
2. Mike Walbert (of SMKA) on the GrammyU panel @ UGA – “This Business of Hip-Hop” Mike Walbert, representing both SMKA & A3C, will be on...
3. iStandard Exclusive Audio iNterview w/ Mike Walbert of SMKA Productions iStandardProducers.com corresponding reporter Derrick “Drawzilla” Carter recently got the chance...

BIO
Robert Earl McDaniel ll was born and raised in Augusta Georgia. Robert was a fairly introverted kid who was very inspired by his surroundings. He fell in love with video games at a young age and spent most of his time either playing sports, video games or drawing. However, it wasn’t until the 6th grade that music began to take a firm grasp of his life. He began to develop his own interpretation of music, and his ears became dull to the lyrics of a song focusing solely on the instrumentation and composition of the music.

Robert grew up listening to a collective of Michael Jackson, Will Smith, Timberland, Aaliyah, Genuine, Skee-Lo, Fred Hammond, and BeBe & CeCe Winans. He found inspiration from all forms of music. “I really just want to help people have hope for something better.” It wasn’t until the 11th grade, at A. R. Johnson High School, that he began experimenting with the creation of music. He would create music to capture the elements needed to make his self feel various emotions. His biggest influences at the time were Outkast, Kanye West, and a lot of alternative, rock and pop music.

In the summer of 2005 Robert enrolled in SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design, aspiring to nourish and develop his creative mind. He began SCAD with a Major in Visual Effects, but after his first year he decided to focus more into his minor, Sound Design, which would quickly become his major. While learning about Sound Desgin he learned how to record and mix anything and everything. He was exposed to many different studies that help cultivate his artistic personality. “I can’t imagine myself anywhere else… I literally would’ve been unmotivated at any other school,” says Robert. “The Sound Design Departments main focus was sound for Film & Television, but that helped me to understand how to build visuals with sound.”

During his years at SCAD he continued looking for ways to create feelings in his music. Because of his training and exposure to the many different aspects of audio design, he was introduced to the more expressive and conceptual music. Robert said, “I listen to a lot of The Go! Team, Andre 3000, The Beatles, Mad lib, and Jay Dilla. I honestly have to say if it wasn’t for The Go! Team I wouldn’t feel so free with my music.”

After graduating from SCAD, Robert linked up with SMKA Productions, by chance, through a job post from SCAD. He has been working with SMKA since June of 2009 as a studio engineer and producer. Robert was instrumental in the recording, mixing and mastering SMKA’s two latest projects, TRIMM meets SMKA and The 808 Experiment: Vol 2. His education, and unique production style, was a big asset to SMKA, who quickly decided to bring Robert in full-time as a member of the production team.

Robert’s production style is difficult to categorize. He has a solid understanding of film scoring and video game soundtracks, which allows him to easily evoke memories and emotions. His music occasionally hits with southern bass & drums though he often conjures the timeless presence of instrumentation in live recordings. He is slowly getting closer to his goal of being able to build music that not only produces raw emotions, but also helps create ideas that will help people through life.

Related posts:

1. Weapons of Audio – “Kill My Boss” (prod. Artist Sensey of SMKA) Weapons of Audio will release their debut album, “BIPOLAR” on...
2. Justin Padron Justin Padron: Producer / Engineer BIO Native Atlantan Justin Padron...
3. SMKA + The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra + A.leon Craft = Concerts for Young People What do you get when the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra commissions...

BIO:
7King (a.k.a Kyle King), son of Decatur, GA, has always had a strong affinity for music. On his 6th birthday he got a toy guitar, and the two quickly became inseparable. By the time he was 14, he was a 1st chair trombonist in the high school jazz ensemble. While using the theory he learned through jazz, he started teaching himself guitar. 7King said, “I still remember sitting in my room with a Jimi Hendrix cassette (yep, CASSETTE), constantly hitting rewind in order to figure out every note in his songs.” He was influenced early on by everything from John Mayer – Scott Joplin – Deftones – A.T.C.Q. – Radiohead to John Lee Hooker.

In 2001, 7King moved to Los Angeles where he attended the University of Southern California. While at USC he immersed himself in the music scene, playing in a plethora of bands from jazz – hip hop – rock to acoustic. In his first year at USC he became close friends with Oren Yoel (produced for: Asher Roth, Cee-lo, Keri Hilson, Macy Gray, etc) who helped teach 7King about music production and audio engineering.

Taking what he had learned in LA, 7King moved back to Atlanta in 2005 to pursue a career in music. He spent most all of his time in the studio recording and producing with Haze Music Company and Unfamiliar Ent. In 2008, after a brief professional engineering stint with Music House Studios, he co-founded SMKA.

Shortly after SMKA began 7King began touring (lead guitar) and producing with Atlantic recording artist, B.o.B aka Bobby Ray. 7King said, “From the beginning, I realized the amazing talent that Bob had. His enthusiasm to create new, fresh and unique music has been a perfect fit for me. I have always felt that southern rap has been typecast. Bob is one of the artists in Atlanta that we have worked with who really strives to raise the bar and broaden the music scene in the south.”

7King’s production style is largely influenced by live musicians. “I’d rather make an entire album without a computer than just sit at a desk staring at a screen. I am pretty obsessed with live hip hop production. To me, it is where hip hop is headed and it’s a bridge for cross-over music.”

“Little Wing” Performed by 7King @ Iceberg Studios – A Motion Family Video

Bobby Ray- No Mans Land

No related posts.

BIO
SMKA Productions is fueled by the creative mastermind of producer, Blake “808 Blake” German. 808 Blake grew up during the birth of southern rap, but spent a lot of time listening to his father’s Mo-Town record collection and quickly began admiring the likes of – Quincy Jones and Donald Bird. “Whenever I would listen to music growing up I would only pay attention to the songs composition,” he says. In high school he began playing around with the Fruity Loops music program, but it wasn’t until his freshman year in college when he decided to fully dedicating himself to creating music. He spent most of his freshman year locked in his room working on beats, sampling and trying to teach himself everything he could about music composition.

After graduating from The University of Georgia, 808 Blake co-founded SMKA and became a full-time producer. Since the birth of SMKA, 808 Blake has produced music for tons of artists, The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and feature length films. He has been the main producer behind SMKA’s (Dope Artists) meets SMKA and The 808 Experiment series. And although he enjoys working with such a variety of talented artists, he says, “I like the ability to work with an individual artist so that I can find their comfort zone – or artistic direction – and we can connect and grow together.”

It is hard to define 808 Blake’s production style when he produces what he feels on any given day and is influenced by everything he experiences. However, if forced to put into words 808 Blake says his production is a cross between “alternative, funk, soulful & southern.”

One of 808 Blake’s other passions is theater. He performed on stage, as the lead role, throughout high school and hopes to one day produce a musical. However, 808 Blake has modest goals for music, “I just enjoy being a student of music. There are always new things to learn and room for growth,” he says. “The most important thing is to have fun. I love working with a variety of artists – when you work with talented people you can always create something special. It is all a learning process and the more I work with different people the more I can learn and give back to music.”

808 Blake has produced for over 100 artists, here are a few:
Aleon Craft
Bone Crusher
El Da Sensei
Fashawn
Fat Tony
FKi
Freddie Gibbs
Fresh Daily
Grip Plyaz
Jarren Benton
Joe Scudda
Juicy J (of 36 Mafia)
Jus Nice
Kyle Lucas
Nappy Roots
Outasight
Playboy Tre
Pill
REi
Sean Falyon
Stanza
STS
Tanya Morgan
Tony Williams
Tom P
Yelawolf
Ying Yang Twins
Young Scolla

Related posts:

1. The 808 Experiment Vol 2 Artist Profiles: 808 Blake, Playboy Tre & Parker Smith The 808 Experiment: Vol 2 “Artist Profile” series takes a...
2. Artist Sensey a.k.a Robert Earl McDaniel ll Artist Sensey: Producer / Audio Engineer BIO Robert Earl McDaniel...
3. [Video] Behind the Scenes Studio Session with 808 Blake and Guitar Player We love when talented musicians come through the studio to...