Up Close with D Allen

The words slept on comes to mind when I hear the name D Allen. A native of North Carolina, D Allen has been a hip Hop head most of his life. With influences like Pete Rock, J Dilla and DJ Premier he definitely knows his way around the MPC. His work with Fuzz and Mac, Mindsone and Fuzz Jaxx have made history making music. I sat down with D Allen and had a chat. Check it out.

~What up D? How long have you been making beats?

D Allen: "Since spring of 03, about seven years now."

~With you being a young producer with an older sound, do you find it hard to keep your sound progressing in today's hip hop?

D Allen: "Yes, of course, but that goes for everyone young or old that does real hip hop. Everybody who makes the type of hip hop I do is struggling to stay ahead right now, I think."

~A lot of people know you from the Distinguished Gentlemen can you tell the people who don't know about that what's good?

D Allen: "When I first started making beats I was influenced by a close friend of mine, Matt Newton, who had been doing it for a few years. He was known as The Exception at the time. I was around with him and our crew in Greensboro who were recordin into a tape deck in real time. I did some research and decided I wanted to try production. I teamed up with Matt and we both ended up in Wilmington. We made beats daily at my spot and called ourselves The Distinguished Gents. We were heard on records with MindsOne, Fuzz & Mac, Forces of Nature, Planet Six, Trav Williams, Big Hop, among others. Matt has since moved to Raleigh but we still try to stay active as a team."

Word that's what's up, Gotta split but is there anything you want us to look out for this

summer?

D Allen: Yes. First and foremost, MindsOne's album "Self Reliance" and the debut album from Action Inc. They've worked very hard (pause) and have high quality music comin for ur knot. Also, Systematic Emcees (Intens T and Rcyn) have a long awaited project that drops this summer. Big Hop and Kotix' "Super High" is dope and has some of my work on there featuring Konsci, Cuzz D, Mic Live, and L.E.G.A.C.Y. Check for Fuzz & Mac projects and Fuzz's solo joint produced by myself, and go get Masta Ace & Edo. G's album.