Interviews

Published on July 6th, 2023 | by MuzikScribe

Read The PDF: Best Of 3 Worlds

First things first, please introduce for me the members of Read The PDF…

Mr. Porter: Porter; that’s me.

Dem Jointz: Dem Jointz, producer / songwriter / magical feeling curator. LOL!

Focus…: Mr. Porter. Dem Jointz. Focus…

How did the three of you even come together in the first place in order to form this supergroup?

P: I remember Focus… calling me on New Year’s Eve in 2019, telling me he wanted to do a song. I had 5 hours to make the beat and do my verse. They sent me their pieces, and my verse was uploaded at 5:53am on January 1, 2020. That’s when the group was born. When the song was done, we sounded like a group.

D: Product of the Doc. We often work on the same projects. We were working on Eminem’s upcoming album (and) Focus… said, “Hey, I have an idea!!”

F: I have always wanted to collab with Mr. Porter, and once I met Dem Jointz he quickly became one of my favorite producers. They are both apex sonically amd creatively. They both live and breathe outside of the box. I felt we had a synergy that would transcend into the music…

Your premiere single is entitled ‘BY’ — Tell me about this particular track; how did it actually come to fruition?

P: Everyone approached this track from their own perspective. I start my verse with the line: “Bye to the old me, hello to the new me.” Metaphorically it’s like a coming out party. I’ve been in a group before, and felt I was always hiding behind everyone. In this situation, I’m not hiding any of my talents. I feel like a whole new person.

D: “BY” is a jam titled in conjunction to the album title. You’ll see when we drop the whole album!! Wooooooooo!!

F: Jointz started this song, and by this time we finally settled into a formula of how we wanted our music to sound so it came together rather quickly…

How then does “BY” either differ and / or compare to what your fans / followers alike already both know and love y’all for?

P: The cool thing is that they only know us for our production. They might know me as a rapper, but this is totally different because it’s outside of the Shady universe and I’m being more of an individual. I’m opening myself up to a new fan-base, and seeing how far can I go.

D: It’s the best of 3 worlds. Greatest elements of collaboration, not only do you get to experience what you’d love from your favorite producer, but also see it unfold in different spaces of creativity…if that makes sense.

F: I think PDF is going to be the way to get to know us on a real, boundaries free, creative and personal level. This music is just US being us; individually as creatives and collectively…

Are there other songs also in the works? Maybe a full length record somewhere down the line?

P: Yes, there’s an album.

D: Woooooooooooooo!! Stay tuned!!

F: The project is almost completed!!

Where’s does the group’s moniker originally derive from?

P: Read The PDF is a play on the acronym of each of our names.

D: Read The PDF comes from our take on creating and maintaining a blueprint to help us get back to “riskfully” – not a real word – creating and being different.

F: We wanted a name like Run The Jewels. Our music is what I call ‘smart music.’ We have information and substance, while keeping a balance with our sound(s). Also, PDF are the initials of our producer names…

Tell me y’all’s whole inception into music — When did you all first become interested? And, how did it all begin for Focus…, Dem Jointz & Denaun Porter?

P: I come from a musical family, so for me it’s somewhat hereditary. But in my late teens when I was depressed and looking for purpose, it was the only thing I could do that gave me grace and loved me. Finding music was what saved me.

D: It really began during the pandemic. Focus…brought the idea up, and we instantly was intrigued. I was like, “Let’s gooooooo!” I’m sure Porter felt the same.

F: My story is boring. I was born into it, and I idolized my father. I wanted to be just like him to the point I became a producer…

Now y’all are natives of where exactly? And growing up there, who all did / do you all consider to be y’all’s strongest influences?

P: I grew up in Detroit, by way of North Carolina. I’d say my strongest influences were Dilla and Dr. Dre. I got introduced to Dre’s music through my older brother. One day he was playing N.W.A.’s “Fuck the Police,” and I just thought the beat was amazing. When he told me that the person who made the beat was rapping it caught my interest. My introduction to Dilla came when Proof played me a Slum Village demo, but wouldn’t give me a copy. I had to keep trying to remember the music in my head.

D: I’m from Compton, soooooooooo…Dr. Dre is an easy and obvious go to. Boom!

F: I’m from the East Coast. Born in N.Y., and grew up in Stamford, CT. Prince and Stevie Wonder were my biggest influences past my father…

Switching gears here, what exactly do you all want people to get from your music?

P: I only care about people feeling something, that’s it. I don’t care what that looks like. Them feeling something in our music is the most important thing.

D: That you can do whatever the phuq you want…speak your individual truth.

F: I want them to experience the music and creativity, and not just ‘listen’ to it. Music is abundantly abound. We set out to bring a new experience…

If you all could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

P: Marvin Gaye, because he’s one of the greatest voices we’ve ever experienced on this planet. A collaboration with him would make perfect sense in the world because it’s all feeling. I feel my soul when I listen to Marvin Gaye.

D: My brothers, Read The PDF! ‘Cause they’re dope as shit!!

F: These two amazing producers, because they get…understand what music truly is; an art form! They are aliens just like I am, so I love working with like-minded creatives…

If you all could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?

P: I would love to turn a Guitar Center into a club. We could just grab whatever we needed off of the wall, and get all of the endorsements.

D: Wembley, ‘cause it holds 100K peeps. We gotta get the word out more effectively.

F: I’m not fond of the stage, but wherever they love the music I’ll be there. 15 people or 15,000 people, I want to be where the love is…

On a more serious note, are you all happy with the current state of Hip Hop?

P: It’s not my job to care about the state of it, it’s my job to contribute to it. I’ve made history and reached milestones, so it doesn’t matter what the state is.

D: Yes!! It gives us a chance to raid, conquer and make slaves of zombies. Who else gonna get me grapes?

F: It’s a bit stale at the moment, but there are some amazing prospects on the rise and I am looking forward to seeing how they are received…

What do you all feel has and will continue to be the key to y’all’s longevity?

P: I’m not easily swayed by waves and moods. I keep my ear to the ground, but I’m honest about my art. I don’t sacrifice to fit in. I learn what everyone else is doing, but I don’t conform to that.

D: Great music!

F: Love of the craft, itself. Not blending in, and not over-saturating an already overly saturated industry…

Do you all have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from entertainment?

P: Acting and community, and real estate development.

D: Well, I’m now a new partner at BLVD Steak. I’m excited to take a plunge in the restaurant / servicing industry. I also have a beverage mixer my wife and I been concocting. Tell you ‘bout that one later.

F: Working on whatever my next ‘goal / career is. Not really speaking on anything until it’s all set in stone…

To date, what has been y’all’s biggest career moment(s), at least thus far anyway?

P: Performing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for Eminem’s induction ceremony. That’s my home team and I was there from the beginning, so that was one of my biggest moments, period.

D: I’m a 3X Grammy winning, multi-platinum producer, but I still feel I’ve yet to achieve my biggest accomplishment.

F: Working with Dre has been life changing…

What’s an average day like for you all?

P: Wake up, write in my 5-minute journal, feed my dogs, handle whatever calls I missed while I was asleep, work out—then studio until the next day.

D: Hop in the Tesla, pass the gas station and hit the studio!

F: Depends on so many factors that there isn’t an average day answer for me. If I have my kids with me, I’m running around doing my best to make them happy. Otherwise, I’m working on music and different moves…

Please discuss how you all interact with and respond to fans…

P: I talk to my fans on all the platforms. I’m very big on listening to people’s music, even when they don’t know I’m listening. I even listen to all the people who diss me and talk crazy on the internet. They’re secretly fans, that’s why they talk shit. I never turn down a conversation with a fan, doesn’t matter where it is.

D: Very delicately. We love and respect our fans’ opinions; they’re the ones that’s gonna make us go platinum again!

F: I answer as many of the people that contact me through my Instagram account. Emails are a bit harder because I have several accounts and so many emails. I don’t love social media, but I do keep my Gram open and accessible…

What is y’all’s favorite part about this line of work? Y’all’s least favorite? And, why?

P: My favorite part is creating. I feel like in my life I make so many mistakes, and this is the only time I feel like I don’t and I can just enjoy the process. My least favorite part is promoting myself. With the level of talent I have, I could do more if I was a better promoter. But I don’t like talking about me.

D: Self contracted because bosses at AT&T are haters. My least fave is dealing with Bozos in the industry. But I don’t deal with any, so nothing much to dislike.

F: I love the music and connecting with great, legendary talent. I hate the egos and politics of the industry. That kills the whole vibe for me…

What advice would you all have for someone wanting to follow in y’all’s footsteps?

P: Don’t squander your life moments. If you get to have pure love without fame, do it. If you get to have a kid without fame, do it. Don’t forget about your personal life.

D: Be yourself, unapologetically and with massive confidence. Different is the new sex!

F: Don’t follow my footsteps. Create your own path. Follow your dreams. Be a trendsetter…

Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you all see yourselves?

P: Being a complete sex symbol in the best shape of my life, and taking one of those space flights.

D: Pulling up the Hall of Fame ceremony in a Tesla-copter as they honor Read The PDF!

F: Older and happier… Lol!

As for the immediate, what’s next for Read The PDF?

P: The album.

D: More wins!

F: Hopefully the next project!!

Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?

D: These are a lot of questions, so nope!! You covered it all!!