10 Questions with fuchi
Plus an exclusive drum pack!
Since 2022, Fuchi has released an impressive 12 projects on Bandcamp, but his musical journey started long before that. Growing up in a vibrant Puerto Rican family in New Jersey, he learned to play the congas at lively backyard parties filled with steel drums, horns and good times.
His aunt, a famous freestyle musician, and his older brother, an MC, had a significant impact on his early passion for music. At just 8 years old, his uncle, a hip-hop beatmaker, introduced him to the iconic MPC 3000 and SP 1200. From that moment on, Fuchi became captivated by samplers and music production, always striving to craft the perfect beat for his brother to rhyme over.
Now, at 34, this retro gamer and comic book nerd brings his love for the past into his music. His current production setup is a blend of classic and modern gear, including the MPC X, Ensoniq EPS, Akai S3000, PO-33, a 4-track cassette recorder, and the SP 404, showcasing his unique fusion of nostalgia and innovation. Today, we explore the journey of an artist who expertly merges the old and new to create crunchy, boundary-pushing, lofi boombap, nostalgic beats.
“Find something you enjoy doing and do it everyday to become better at it. Use those same principles that made you become better at whatever that is, and apply that to your life moving forward.”
1 .Your latest release, Vol x, is a 20-track beat tape that debuted on Bandcamp on September 6th. Can you tell us a bit about this project?
It’s been a while since I dropped any beat tapes and I had been sitting on beats that I’ve made over a year span. Originally I intended to use these beats for a rap album I’m working on with RPDB but they ended up not being used. So I figured let’s get a tape together with some of the beats that I’ve been sitting on for a while.
I prefer to not let my beats sit in a folder somewhere never to be heard.
2. The beats on this release have a gritty, textured feel that stands out from the usual polished sound of the MPC X. How do you go about achieving that color and texture in your production?
I use several layers of compression, eq, and amps for harmonics. I have a modded 525 compressor, a ART tube pre amp, and a ART dual band EQ. Then lastly I run everything through a Yamaha console that was made in the 80s along with my SP404MK2.
There’s a lot of sauce on the MPC suite of plugins. I use the AMP sim and flavor pro on a lot of the samples and drum breaks.
The SP404MK2 suite of FX also IMO is the standard for that crunchy lofi boom bap sound that I like.
3. This project was mastered by MobyVic, with whom you have a long-standing connection. Can you tell us about your history with him and also share a bit about RPDB?
“I used to be the class clown back then”
I’ve known Vic since he moved to Spring Hill from Miami in the 10th grade. I used to be the class clown back then. Vic and I got along well but I happened to find out through a mutual friend that Vic was a big fan of the Wu Tang Clan and he rapped. So I made beats while he and another friend of ours Lamar would rap over them. Their rap group name is really silly so I’ll spare them and keep that one a secret, lmao.
After high school around 2009-2012ish Vic, John, Andy, and I hung out regularly and made beats together and got into all sorts of different genres of music. Sean used to come by every once in a while around that time and played guitar, drums, and rapped. We’re all around the same age from the same home town.
Fast forward about 10 years later COVID happened and my buddy Andy had the idea to create music, but not just the beats that I typically make but all sorts of different genres into one. Which was how the album “#1” was created.
4.You’ve accompanied this release with a limited run of cassettes. What was that process like, and what draws you to the cassette format?
When I think beat tape. I think of a compilation of beats on cassette. So what better way to give merch to the supporters then putting your beat tape on cassette.
Theres a local label here in Spring Hill ran by this dude name Robert called Collection Center. This is the first batch of tapes he’s made for me and moving forward he will be making tapes for all of RPDBs releases.
5. Lets talk about drums. do you prefer working with one-shots, loops, or chopping up Sampled breaks?
Depends on which sampler I’m using. If I’m using the PO-33 I like to chop up breaks. If I’m using the MPC X or Ableton I’ll use one shots.
6. One thing that has always struck me about your music is your drum sounds. Are you able to share any insight on how you achieve that unique raw tone and character
It’s all about how you mix them. Make sure they sit just right with the sample. Then from there I like to add saturation from the SP and blend the sample with the drums using compression and eq.
“This drum pack contains one shots and loops I use on my Ensoniq EPS, Akai S3000, and my PO33. ”
7. We really appreciate your generosity in creating and sharing this sample pack with the beat making community. What do you love about this community, and what inspired you to give back in this way?
A bunch of like minded people making beats, what’s there not to like.
I’ve actually been wanting to make a drum pack for a minute just haven’t gotten around to it. So when you hit me up about it then mentioned it’s to give back to the community, I was all for it.
8. What can you tell us about this drum pack? What was your vision behind it, and how did you go about creating and texturing these sounds?
This drum pack contains one shots and loops I use on my Ensoniq EPS, Akai S3000, and my PO33. I sequenced them using the X and added some of that MPC swing to the drum patterns.
9. You’ve been making beats for a long time. What continues to inspire you and keeps you motivated to create?
My group of friends kept me doing it. There has been a bunch of times where I’ve wanted to sell all my gear or I would take like 2-3 months off at a time. Really it was when we created RPDB back in 2020 and began working on the first album I learned a lot about myself and my abilities as a musician and producer.
10. As someone with your experience in beat making and also as a parent, what advice would you give your child or any young aspiring producer who wants to find success in both music and life?
Find something you enjoy doing and do it everyday to become better at it. Use those same principles that made you become better at whatever that is and apply that to your life moving forward. If it’s music then practice often.
Say if my son wanted to be a baseball player. Then we will be outside often swinging a bat around and throwing the ball. Same with making music, if you’re playing an instrument or making a beat, then do it often.
What’s next for Fuchi? Where can people go to learn more, listen to your music, and stay updated with what you’re working on?
I’m always up on IG posting some beat I just made. Check me out on there. I also have a ton of beat tapes and albums out check those out on all DSPs. Same with RPDB, we got like 3-4 albums out as a collective. Those are also on all DSPs.
RPDB has a rap album coming out. I’m also likely going to finally drop my next beat tape Days of Future Past hopefully before the end of the year.
