Dion "No I.D." Wilson is not a star, but he makes stars. It's in his name that he's not here to be the face of the music he makes. He wants the music to speak for itself, or to facilitate the growth of an artist. For a couple of years now, he's been the incubator for up-and-coming artists. He was the one who saw the raw talent of Big Sean and mentored him into a star rolling into his second album.
We got on the horn with the Chicago producer to talk about how Big Sean’s "Control" came together, who he's been working with, and what kind of role he likes to take in the industry. In the process we learned that "Control" was actually meant to go to Jay Z, that Sean in fact did not re-write his verse after hearing Kendrick's, and that No I.D. is pretty much tired of doing interviews.
Interview by Alexander Gleckman (@andfeedingyou)
What are some of the projects you're working on right now?
I’ve been working on Big Sean. I’ve been working my artists, with my label. Got a lot of new stuff with Jhene Aiko, Logic. I’m just trying to bring to some new energy in, a couple new names. And then my normal round of rap people that I work with.
How do you go about discovering new music or new artists?
Usually just word of mouth. I’m not an Internet searcher.
So one of your friends might tell you?
Yeah I usually listen to the real world. I’m not too fond of the matrix. Usually talented writers lead me to talented people. I try to keep it personal where I can meet people, share their energy, see what they’re like in person.
Are you listening to anything out of Chicago right now?
I wouldn’t say I’m listening to, but I would just say keep my eyes on it. I was actually just out here working with the kid, Lil Herb in L.A. right now. He’s actually in the studio right now with Da Internz. One of our artists Mikkey Halsted reps Lil Herb.
One of the big records you’ve had recently was Big Sean’s “Control.” What is the story behind that record?
I had a conversation with Sean towards the end of his album. I told him, I felt like he needed to do some straight, hardcore hip-hop records. Sometimes we focus so much on selling records that we leave some artistic points uncovered.
I had a conversation with Big Sean towards the end of his album. I told him, I felt like he needed to do some straight, hardcore hip-hop records. Sometimes we focus so much on selling records that we leave some artistic points uncovered.
I had this beat. I had actually done it for Jay, right before I let [Sean] hear it. I said, “You should take this beat, I think it would be great for you to show up on one of these beats, forget money, forget everything.”
For a while—I’d say, since Common’s “Ghetto Dreams”—I’ve been on a hip-hop crusade. To try and just bring that energy back that I felt was not present. I just wanted him to show up on one of those beats and then he did a freestyle to it.
He was like, “I’m gonna drop it as a freestyle.” I was like cool. Then he was like, “Yo, I’m gonna get Jay Electronica on it.” I was like, “Okay, cool.” Anyway, that’s where “No I.D. (Freestyle)” comes from, it was a No I.D. beat and he was freestyling. It didn’t have a chorus, it wasn’t intended to be a full song even.
There was some skepticism about whether or not Big Sean rewrote his verse after hearing Kendrick’s.
Yes. He didn’t. I can say one thing, he re-rapped it, he did not re-write it.
The idea of longevity seems important to you. How do you think Kanye West’s Yeezus and Jay Z’s Magna Carta...Holy Grail fit into the longevity of their respective artists?
I’ve never been a mega-star. I’m more of a tastemaker of hip-hop. I try to be more of an ambassador for the era of hip-hop that I came in. So sometimes the answer to that question is relative to what you’re representing. I think they represent a different place that I’ve never been.
There’s so many things that Kanye does that I agree with and disagree with at times. I just say, “You’re in a different place and what you’re doing is experimental. Nobody’s been there in hip-hop.” Jay as well. I’ve kind of taken my magnifying glass off and more so I just enjoy it or not. I just know what I like and don’t like.