As radio stations and music video channels keep a stagnant rotation going, it’s easy for many casual hip-hop fans to grow either fearful or oblivious of anything truly original. Producer/engineer/DJ/graffiti writer and Sonic Sum member Fred Ones is hoping his debut album, Phobia of Doors: A Collection of Short Stories, will show people that underground hip-hop can indeed be accessible, even if it is a little different at times. Fred, a man who mostly stays behind the scenes engineering records, is about to make a name for himself whether he likes it or not–especially considering that he’s got some of your favorite MCs, from Vast Aire to his Sonic Sum crewmate Rob Sonic rapping on just about the widest variety of topics ever heard on a producer’s album. Don’t worry–it won’t hurt to open the door of hip-hop a little. You may be surprised what you’ll find.

HipHopSite: A lot of people who aren’t familiar with you might be asking, ‘How did this cat get all these MCs on his album?’ But you knew most of these artists before you started even making it right?

Fred Ones: Yeah, I knew everybody in fact… everybody’s pretty much in the same sort of circle. I knew Hanger (18) from being around in New York. They came to a couple of gigs I DJed; I DJed a couple of gigs for them. Vast, I met him on the Def Jux tour. Being with Ozone, we’re (Sonic Sum) really closely related with Def Jux. Like El (P) or Cannibal Ox I run into all the time. On tour is when I hooked up with Vast and them. I hooked up with Slug on tour. I was touring with Mike Ladd–touring with Sonic Sum. Pretty much being with Sonic Sum and Mike Ladd is what kind of connected me with all these people. Everybody. At the same time I had clients too. Like Rise & Shine were clients of mine from before–that’s how I knew them. Abyss was on the Mike Ladd record–that’s how I knew him. Yazeed is family, Creature’s family–pretty much everybody I know personally.

HHS: Being that this album is a collection of short stories how much easier was it to create these stories being that you knew these artists so personally?

Fred Ones: Well I kind of let the artists do what they wanted to do. Two of the stories I wrote, but (for) the rest of them, the artists pretty much had their own free will. You know what I’m saying? They could write whatever they want to write… pretty much they had the freedom to do any story they wanted to. I wanted to give them that freedom and the only way I could see it being cohesive is making a story–everybody has their own story and then what I did is group all the stories into specific categories, like a category of consequence, a category of the future and a category of drugs, sex and lies.

HHS: So that’s all you gave them, just a random a topic, and then you let ‘em go with it?

Fred Ones: Yeah yeah.

HHS: All right. Akbar says on the intro (that) a phobia of doors is the fear of crossing territory lines. How would you say this album in itself crosses the lines of conformity?

Fred Ones: You know what it is? In New York especially, I’m sure in Chicago, but mostly in the States, you don’t get to hear the rap music because it doesn’t get played on mainstream radio. It’s just not accessible. I think it’s not accessible because the theory (is) that people don’t want it. That may be true a small bit–maybe people don’t want to hear it and I think people are scared of crossing over that line. It’s the same hip-hop your boys are doing. Sometimes the rappers are too lyrical so people are scared of that. You could look at Pharoahe (Monch)–Pharoahe’s one of the nicest rappers out but he’s not as well known as Jay-Z let’s say. Or not as well known as Lil’ Flip. That’s basically just the introduction: a phobia of doors is basically to not be scared to listen to other styles of rap. I think experimental-wise, beat-wise on the album I think I did something differently, but I don’t think it’s that groundbreaking beat-wise going into different doors.

HHS: Since you’ve been involved in hip-hop for so long, in the early-’90s, before major labels started dropping the really creative acts and they cut ‘em loose, did you ever foresee this whole underground forming, like in ’90s?

Fred Ones: Nah nah. Hell no. I mean nah. If you think about it I’m standing in similar circles as Sadat X. Now back in ’92-’93 I would of never thought of that shit. (Being) in the same circles as Kool Keith–I would of never thought of that shit. Nah. Hell no. I think the underground is very accessible because of Internet, because of technology and what not. A lot of people can make records. A lot of people can create in the underground. I think underground now is a lot more underground in a sense than it was in the ’90s. In the ’90s Black Moon was an underground group but they were still played on major radio.

HHS: Right, and they were still on BET.

Fred Ones: Still on BET, still being played Stretch Armstrong, still being played by Funkmaster Flex–it was just different times. Underground has a different place. Now underground has a real, real market, and it’s because it’s saturated with everybody doing records and putting it out independently. When Pharoahe can’t get on, there’s a problem. You know what I’m saying?

HHS: Right. But there’s only been a few exceptions like, for example Dilated got signed to Capitol, even thought they’ve had their problems. But do you ever foresee major labels within your lifetime actually going back to putting creativity first over…

Fred Ones: I hope so. I think that things move in cycles. I think that’ll be the cool thing to do. You know what I’m saying? It may get trendy. It may get trendy to get back to the real hip-hop type shit.  I’m not sure. If money’s not driving it, I don’t think the labels are gonna do it. If people don’t want it, if there’s not a drive behind it then labels probably wouldn’t do it. But I think the people will start demanding more Dilated Peoples groups–more underground groups as the mainstream. You look at Talib’s (Kweli) doing it as a mainstream artist and he’s basically an underground artist.

HHS: Right and now he’s going to be opening up for Beastie Boys so…

Fred Ones: The Beasties is crazy ’cause what is Beasties now? Beasties is like mainstream rap but not really underground rap either, just kind of novelties–not novelty rap. I don’t know what you call it. It’s just the Beasties. That’s what dope about the Beasties I think–they create their own niche where they just do what they want to do. They just keep reinventing themselves and shit. It’s kind of dope.

HHS: And kind of transcend all labels.

Fred Ones: Yeah.

HHS: I think a good thing about your album specifically is the variety in itself–you got Akbar’s song (“Phobia Intro”) that’s really more straightforward, then you got like Yazeed’s joint (“2087″), which is just the crazy, futuristic narrative. I think that’s what’s good about the underground–you get that variety if you look in the right places.

Fred Ones: That’s what I wanted to show too. I didn’t really want it to be all crazy, underground, lyrical, abstract–I don’t want to (just) show that side–I want to show a lot of sides. And I think the variety of MCs kind of show that. You know Sinnagi, Sayyid, Creature–all those cats bring different elements to the album, which is dope… Vast, Rob Sonic, Abyss. Abyss’s song (“Virus”) is crazy. It’s on some Kool Moe Dee meets fuckin’ Beatnuts 2003 (laughs). It’s good to have a variety. I think it’s a type of album where not everybody’s going to like everything, but someone’s really gonna dig two or three things off the album.

HHS: If you had stayed in Chicago who do you think you would of put on this album?

Fred Ones: In Chi-town?

HHS: Yeah.

Fred Ones: Man joe I lived in Chi-town in ’95 so you’re talking eight-ten years ago… umm I would of put, basically I would try to get with Juice. When Juice was just starting to blow on the underground scene over there I was kinda moving out of Chicago.  I know he’s actually not a Chicago native but Juice, my boy Kep–Kep Rock THC Crew. Who else? What’s this cat’s name? He’s a graffiti writer actually. Orko actually. I would try to find Orko.

HHS: He rhymes too?

Fred Ones: Yeah he kind of rhymes on the low and shit, yeah. Ang 13, I would put Ang on the record. I would probably try to find Gravity. I don’t even know if Gravity remembers me–Gravity I would probably try to find him and put him on the record. Cats like that. Like I said I’ve been out touch with the whole scene so I forgot cats really… Steady Serve would have definitely made the record.

HHS: So wasn’t the album supposed to come out on a different label?

Fred Ones: It’s actually out in France on Ascetic.

HHS: Oh ok, then Raptivism picked it up for here, for the states?

Fred Ones: Exactly exactly.

HHS: ‘Cause I know you’ve had the album done for a while, has anything changed since you finished it last year?

Fred Ones” It’s fuckin’ a little older–shit (laughs), a little more broke. Nothing’s changed nah. The American version is different than the European version. One track, the last track on the European version is six minutes but on the American’s it just kind of ends. But the American one has that ghost track of that beat.

HHS: The Vast Aire instrumental…

Fred Ones: Yeah.

HHS: Because you usually work in the studio (engineering) are you comfortable at this point being called a producer?

Fred Ones: Yeah. I started producing in ’95. I’m just keeping a steady note at this point in time, but easy. I engineer more than anything. That’s what I do everyday, all the time.

HHS: So who are some MCs you don’t know yet that you’d like to make beats for?

Fred Ones: Mainstream or otherwise?

HHS: Anything.

Fred Ones: I like a lot of cats. Honestly I may not have my ear to the ground in terms on new underground MCs. Most of the people I know are the radio cats. I’m stuck in my school jockey days so I know a lot of people–my clients basically is what I hear everyday. In terms of new underground cats I don’t know too many. Most of them made the record.

HHS: Yeah (Laughs).

Fred Ones: Immortal Technique–I would like to do a beat for Immortal Technique. This cat Insight who made beats for Mr. Lif. He’s dope, political and shit. I can dig that. Everybody. Of course KRS, Jay-Z even–I think Jay-Z’s dope. I’d give Jay-Z a beat and shit. I like a lot of cats. I like Luda–I like Ludacris. Who else? Nas. I’m not into what cats are really doin’ but these are MCs I respect.

HHS: Let me ask you this though: how picky would you be if there was somebody who’s music you weren’t really feeling–but would you still produce for ‘em, to try to like push them in a different direction or would you turn ‘em away?

Fred Ones: Would I still produce someone I wasn’t feelin’?

HHS: Yeah.

Fred Ones: If the money was right I don’t see why I would push them away no (laughs). Anyone who’s interested and wants a beat, they pretty much know what to expect. So yeah I’d hit ‘em with a beat. I mean I sell beats now. Whateva. You know what I’m saying?

HHS: So what’s up with Sonic Sum? Are we ever going to see the release of Films here?

Fred Ones: I hope so man. It’s unfortunate that it’s become this, whatever this is. It’s out in Japan but not here. Unfortunately that’s the situation. And I would like for it to come out here man–it’s a good record. I don’t know if you’ve heard it.

HHS: No, not yet.

Fred Ones: It’s a dope record and unfortunately that’s the situation. If someone does pick it up though I’m sure we’ll be able to start touring again. But until then we’re just kind of waiting to see what happens.

HHS: Didn’t Ozone release The Sanity Annex?

Fred Ones: Actually it was released (by) Ozone via Nu Gruv.

HHS: And that can’t happen this time around?

Fred Ones: Nah. Nu Gruv has ceased and desisted right?

HHS: I’m not sure.

Fred Ones: I think, yeah. I don’t even think Nu Gruv is around. But if they are around I think our relationship definitely ended somewhere (laughs).

HHS: And do you have any other collaboration in the works right now?

Fred Ones: the Creature album, we’re working on the Creature album, Never Say Die. And a lot of people that I work with are coming out with stuff, a lot of clients and what not. Right now I’m doing a tour with Rob, Rob’s doing a tour pretty soon.

HHS: He’s got an album coming out right?

Fred Ones: What’s that?

HHS: Rob Sonic–he’s got an album coming out right?

Fred Ones: Rob Sonic’s album should be dropping in September.

HHS: How many beats do you have on that one?

Fred Ones: Rob did all the beats. I engineered the whole thing but he did all the beats. And I did some cuts with DJ Wiz on a couple of tracks.

HHS: So when’s the last time you picked up a can of paint?

Fred Ones: Oh shit. Fuck…a can of paint…last time. Most of the fuckin’ bombing I’ve been doing has been when I went on tour. I did a train in Germany, I did some walls in France–a couple in Paris, and in fuckin’ South of France somewhere. But all this is like 2001, 2002–a couple years ago. I did a wall in 2003. It was fuckin’ freezing hear in the fuckin’ Bronx–like 32 degrees. Fuckin’ nuts. It was stupid, but we actually did a wall. But nah I don’t really bomb. I mean I go to work everyday and I’m in New York so you get the itch to bomb but it’s so heavily bombed here that for you to really make a mark you got to go at it hard and I’m not ready to go at it hard anymore. I kind of just bomb in my (black) book.

HHS: So would say because you’ve had to take it easy with the bombing you kind of approach your producing in a similar way to doing a fill-in–like the mentality?

Fred Ones: I think you get that vibe not from the Sonic Sum stuff, but the Phobia of Doors album. That’s the basis of all my thinking, whether it’s doing a throwie or just fuckin’ copping a tag, hitting up a drum pattern–everything has a hip-hop base to it. That’s just the feel. You can’t even explain it. Sometimes you’re not even thinking hip-hop at all but that’s what comes out. I’ll be making beats sometimes and I’m like, ‘Yeah. I’ll give it a real rock feel,’ but it’s a rock feel with a hip-hop base. You don’t realize it until you lay it down like, ‘Oh okay, it’s still bouncy and shit.’ Graffiti and all that shit always played a big role in my life coming up… I used to write graffiti, I used to DJ, I used to breakdance, I used to rhyme, I used to do everything and everybody that I knew did the same thing. And it wasn’t ’till we got older that you start to realize what you were good at.

HHS: What else would you like people to know about you in general… since you’ve been behind the scenes all these years?

Fred Ones: I’m behind the scenes man. I’m Dominican–a great guy (laughs). I live in the BX–umm–basically, check out the album. Go cop the album, check out the production, check out the MCs. You may not like everything, but you’ll definitely like something. I’ve been hear a while doin’ it, but mostly behind the scenes DJing for Mike Ladd, DJing for Sonic Sum, so this is my first solo effort so it’s kind of exciting if you will. So I hope people check it out. Cop that shit. Cop my man Rob’s shit. My man Seraphim actually helped me with the album–he was executive co-producer and he’s got a group No Surrender and their doing their thing too so check for that. The whole clique–Yazeed, my man 4Ron, my man Rugged ‘n’ Raw (laughs). It goes on and on.

HHS: It’s the whole extended fam.

Fred Ones: The WHOLE extended fam–THC, TME, OT–Original Terror and… LD.