Tachelle: Who is Nire?

Nire: Innovates, Raw - Energy accelerates - Haha.in other words.a hip hop producer from NYC.

T: Tell us about your heritage, your family, where you're from and how it intertwines with your love for music.

N: My pops is from Ireland, my mom is from Boston, my sister Mega is a b-girl in Rock Steady Crew and a new mama to my beautiful nephew Kingston, my brother is a house producer juggling 9-5 and beginning his own fam-a-lam.  I grew up in Queens, NY and NYC definitely has had an effect on my music, some of my tracks remind me of certain places in the city at certain times of the year or at certain times of the day.  New York just has so much raw energy and style and I think that comes through in my music.

T: What's the meaning behind your name from a personal understanding?

N:  NIRE is my government backwards, Erin, which is pretty fitting since I do shit a lil backwards sometimes, but it works out in the end. 

T: When you look back on your childhood what were some things that you did as a budding producer?

N: Anything from playing my sister's records when she wasn't home, stealing my brother's cassettes and making mixtapes, working on some art project like a mad scientist to doing dance routines with my sister since I could walk.  Dancing is still something I absolutely love, so that connection with music was made very early on.  I am also a visual artist and my music brings me places visually, some of it is cinematic, some tells a story or evokes a specific mood.  In some ways my music is like an audio collage (term coined by SipeUno) tying together seemingly unrelated things, which has always been part of my personality.

T: Tell us about your exodus as a producer. How did you get started?

N:  It was something that I wanted to get into for a minute and my boy from BK, Mace Brew from Beat Brewers showed me some tips to get started, shortly after I went to Barcelona to live for a year and a half.  It was there that I really got down to the nitty gritty, I met Quiroga, one of the top producers in Spain and he became my mentor.  Even though Quiroga really helped me on my path, I had to pursue it on a solo tip too, this included extremely frustrating moments, figuring out programs and equipment for dolo, and making many mistakes, but that's the best way to learn.

T: What were your first pieces of equipment?

N:  A computer and a small midi-controller keyboard from my brother.

T: What equipment do you use now?

N: I use some of the same equipment and programs and an MPC2000xl.

T: What type(s) of music do you produce?

N: Hip-Hop

T: Who are some of the artists that you have worked with?

N:  I'm starting to work with artists, like Vast Aire of Cannibal Ox and other up and coming MC's, I have some other projects bubbling that are too early in the works to talk about but y'all will be hearing about 'em shortly!  I kept my beats on the low at the beginning cuz I wanted to be taken seriously -  some people make like 3 beats and boast they're a producer.  I have a lot of artistic integrity, so when I thought I was ready I let the beast out. I also really had to be on top of my game since I'm a girl and that means you gotta work 10 times harder to prove yourself.

T: What projects are you currently working on?

N:  I'm actually in Melbourne, Australia, at the Redbull Music Academy for DJ's & Producers where I will be building with fellow participants from all over the world.  I will also be doing the soundtrack for the online show, MOB Living and collaborating with MCs.

T: Who or what inspires you to produce?

N: Producer wise RZA, Premo, J-Dilla, MF Doom, Large Pro to name a few, but my inspiration comes from all different people with the commonality of doing there thing with persistence and determination and courage to do something different, this reaches beyond the music world to the world at large.

T: What is your personal motto that keeps you strong and feet planted on the grounded?

N: Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.  I think being resourceful and finding positivity in seemingly negative situations is the key to success in whatever you do, and to me, this saying embodies that.

T: Where do you want to be in 2007?

N:  I want to have a compilation album out and to continue to push myself creatively and personally and work with artists that I respect and do more DJing to bring that classic NY flavor back to the party scene. It needs it!

T: What lasting words of advice do you have for young women who want to get into production, but may be afraid or don't have any equipment?

N: Be persistent!!!  Dudes were not taking me seriously when I was trying to learn, but I took that for what it was, bullshit!  Don't let it affect you, do your thing, find a mentor (it might take awhile) but you'll also have to dedicate a lot of time dolo, being crazy frustrated on the verge of tears, but that's part of it and then the outcome is that more rewarding. 

T: Please add your website so people can keep up with your projects. Thanks so much for your time and insight.

For more information visit Nire at www.myspace.com/nire82