"The A L T E R N A T I V E"

Let's start off by defining what alternative means. By definition alternative is anything different from the usual or conventional. Given the recent years of West Coast Hip Hop being closer to noise pollution than anything else; we are ushered into the dawn of a new era and carried on the back of a brilliant producer by the name of Rick "The Alternative" Hughes. Now "The Alternative" isn't actually his alias but it's what I decided to dub him based on the shit he is putting down and plus its the name of his upcoming album so it's only appropriate to do so. I got a chance to sit down with Rick in his studio and see what was really good:

BR: So what up Rick?
RH: [Waves]

BR: So first off, what's up with the album?
RH: Right now I'm in the middle of my first album. I have Elzhi on it from Slum Village. I got Kartoon from Ruff Ryders. I did a joint with Oh No from Stones Throw. We just did our first; we are going to do our second video next month but we just finished our first video called "Show Must Go On" featuring Kartoon and Focus. We just try to put our city, the city of Rialto, on. We just do our thing.

BR: When is the rumored drop for the album?
RH: We are planning on February. We are still talking to a couple of people for distribution because with this album; I put a lot of my own money up for this. I am just looking for partners to get the distribution done the correct way.

BR: So how did you hook up with Elzhi?
RH: It was through an email. If you have ever heard of DJ Houseshoes; I emailed him and told him I was doing an album and played him some stuff...dude gave me a call within 14 hours [Laughs]
BR: Wow!
RH: Yeah seriously! And he [DJ Houseshoes] told Elzhi about it and Elzhi wanted to check it out. So me and Elzhi were talking for a couple of weeks and I sent him the beat through email and he liked it. He did it. Its just hard to work with an artist that's so far away. I think he was in Europe at the time. Two months passed by and he sent me something and it was cool but I thought he could have done better. He actually blew me away when he came to my studio.
BR: Right! Right!
RH: So we did the track here and he just killed it. He gave me what I was looking for.

BR: Do you have any additional collabs in the works with Stones Throw?
RH: I don't know. Maybe. Actually, I think that song with Oh No may be my only venture with Stones Throw. I just did it to let that audience know that I listen to that style of music too, you know. I'm looking at a little bigger picture than that. I love what they do, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to be categorized. I want to be a producer of many sounds. Not just one and I can do anything!

BR: Ok. So who influences you now and as a kid?
RH: As a kid, I grew up listening to my Dad a lot. He played the trumpet. He is a jazz musician. He played for Patrice Rushen. I listened to a lot of his records. As I got older I started to get into different music. I wasn't really into Hip Hop. I was really into Hall & Oates and shit like that. [Laughs] I mean, I had a favorite rapper and producer but I wasn't into rap music. I was into some different shit. My favorite producer of all time, hands down, Hi-Tek. Everything from Mood to Talib to Black Star to himself. I listened to him for a long time. And Dilla! Its funny how people caught onto him but when I started listening to him no one knew who the fuck J Dilla was. Now in interviews that I do since I worked with Slum Village, people ask me about him. I don't know anything. I didn't know the man. I wish I did though.

BR: Yeah. A lot of people didn't know about Dilla until close to his death.
RH: And that's really sad because he made good music.
BR: For a LONG time.
RH: Yeah, a VERY LONG time. Now its weird to me that regular people on the street know his name. That really kills me like, Oh...you listen to Dilla? [Laughs] Its like a fad. I just hate when people try to sound like him. There are producers out there that realize he is gone and try to take his place. They try to emulate his sound. That's not what the music is all about. Its about YOU!


BR: Well how do you feel about the music game? Commercial? Underground?
RH: The commercial scene is bad and good at the same time. We are starting to have a lot of music that is fun now. That's changed a lot. I'm noticing that Hip Hop is going through a transition where a lot of it sounds electronic. Its weird cause I've been doing that shit for years and I never thought it was cool to do it. All of a sudden its the thing to do. There are still a lot of people out there doing weak music just to make a buck. I always tell everyone to have a second plan cause you don't want to be forced into doing something you don't want to do. Have a back up plan.

BR: What's next for Rick Hughes after this album? Tour? Shows?
RH: Well...because I'm just a producer I don't know if I'm really going to do shows. I'd be happy to do a DJ set or something. What I'm really looking for after this album is working with the BEST. Having people realize I am one of the BEST. This isn't just an overnight thing. I have been doing this for eleven years. People don't realize that just because I'm just 24. You see here, [pointing around the studio] everything here is fuckin' analog. I'm not just off my computer. I have been taught the old school way of doing things. But I'm just looking to work with the BEST from Middle, Underground or Commercial. Shit, I'll work with the Pussy Cat Dolls! [Laughs]

BR: I heard that! I can't even be mad at that. Do you have your own label?
RH: Yeah. I have my little independent label (American Noise). There's Focus, A group called Galaxc Kids. My Brother... B Slim, he is a part of everything I do. Those are the people I'm trying to put on for Rialto. They are the people who have the skill coming from around here. Especially Focus and Galaxc Kids.

BR: Does it seem like you have less to choose from in the Inland Empire?
RH: Its the same. I'm always in L.A. but its important to do things in my own city. I'm from Rialto. This is where I grew up. I am not ashamed! Hopefully, people from here are reppin' it too. I am from the suburbs. We got good parts and bad parts. To do business though you have to travel.

BR: Is anyone hounding you for beats right now?
RH: Kartoon has been doing his thing so I was just sending him beats now. I have really just been caught up doing my own thing. Just trying to get my beats to catch on. I'm the type of person that can do a beat in 15 minutes flat and its dope. I want to be taken serious-serious like on a Dre, Pete Rock, Pharrell type level. And you can tell I am being taken seriously with who I am working with but after this there should be enough buzz to where I'm getting more work.

BR: BIG QUESTION...Are you a sneaker head?
RH: [Laughs] I AM A BIG SNEAKER HEAD! One of my singles is "Shoe Addict" with the Galaxc Kids. And we are shooting a video for that in January. That should be hitting Power 106. I was just looking at your shoes and I got those, man!
BR: Yeah? I thought I was special until you said that!
RH: [Laughs]

BR: What do you have in your car right now that you will be bumping when you drive away?
RH: I got Elzhi's album in my car right now. Also, I got the new Guns 'n' Roses album. I listen to that one a lot but I also like to turn the radio off.
BR: That's always a good thing.
RH: I just like to think about what's going to happen next.

BR: In Cali, whats your favorite spot to eat?
RH: In Cali? or Rialto?
BR: Let's say Rialto first.
RH: In Rialto...Mexico Viejo! [Laughs] That's been my spot for years! In Cali...its Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles. You know, I had never been there and it took a white dude to take me down there!
BR: That's wassup!

BR: Any advice for new cats?
RH: Follow your dreams to the fullest. I got a lot of "No's" before I got one "Yes". Just don't give up when you get that first "no". Now if your really talented then start looking at the people who are telling you "no". Chances are they know nothing about this music.
BR: Right.
RH: Just keep doing it and eventually people will catch on. After eleven years; now I'm working with people I would listen to. It's not just the names. Just keep trying and never take "No" for an answer.


Rick Hughes is a monster with the beats. He played me a beat that is going to Kartoon and to call it "ill" would be an extreme understatement. I could only summarize the sound as a cross between fight music and rock with a sample that had genius yet seamless placement. If you haven't already heard the track, "And They Say" with Oh No...you can check it out here.

I know I can say, that I for one, am excited that the West has a new sound and face that allows us to see a promising future for Hip Hop. Rick Hughes is the way of the future. Be sure that you stay tuned! We will be dropping the new video "Show Must Go On" very shortly.

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