Check The Credits: Bink! Speaks on Producing For JAY Z, Kanye West, Drake & More

“The Ruler’s Back,” “All I Need” & “Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)” from The Blueprint – JAY Z

“At Baseline Studios there use to be “Keep It Real Tuesdays.”  Or maybe it was “Keep It Real Thursdays.” I forget which one, but it was where different producers would come through and play beats. There was this boombox in the front of the lobby. Everybody would play their beats on this boombox. If Jay and them liked your beats they’d take you to the A-Room to play the beats on the big speakers. We were basically fighting to get to the A-Room. Producers from all walks of life would come in there. Jay and them would bomb you if you came in there with some wack shit [laughs]. It was crazy, but on the particular night I came to play my joints everybody was already in the A-Room. Jay wasn’t playing anybody’s beats. He was playing actual songs from the album. The room was packed with Beans, Bleek, Freeway – everybody was there. It was like standing room only. Jay is playing records like “Song Cry” and “Never Change” and then he’s like “Okay, now you play your beats,” so just imagine the pressure. It felt like all eyes were on me. It was a great night though. I walked in with five beats. Three ended up on Blueprint and the other two went to Freeway. Some people were coming in with every beat they’ve ever made [laughs]. With the atmosphere and the people that were involved with that album the precedence for quality was high. It made you rise to the occasion. You didn’t want anybody to show you up. It was like a friendly competition. We all were trying to outdo each other, so that was the whole atmosphere for The Blueprint. It was real creative.”