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Soul Supreme isn’t the only Swede bringing heat to the game with his production, fellow Swede Sentense is poised to make moves of his own. With an EP already on shelves and MC’s from L.A. to Houston, to Malmö lined up to be blessed with tracks from Sen, it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the Hip-Hop nation takes notice. Check out our Interview and exclusive downloads from Sen...

ThaFormula.Com - Alright, let's start by letting everyone know where you're from...

Sentense - I'm located in Malmö, Sweden. That's on the southern tip of our country in a city that's the third largest by population in the country.

ThaFormula.Com - What was your introduction to hip-hop, and what was it about it that drew you to it?

Sentense - Basically it was out of interest for the music, but then also I had certain people around me that inspired me a lot and got me into it this deep. It's almost like an obsession...It's as simple as that.

ThaFormula.Com - Did you teach yourself to make beats, or was it kind of a collective thing where people around you introduced you to it?

Sentense - Through the years I've seen people make beats and put down work in the studio, so I pretty much kept an eye open but it wasn't until I got serious that I could do my own stuff. I gotta give much respect and thanks to my production partner Snotnose for coming up with a lot of feedback and good advice how to do it on the set up we work. Basically it was a combination of learning myself and being introduced by others.

ThaFormula.Com - Do you DJ, or did you go straight into production?

Sentense - I've never considered myself a DJ even though I've worked the 1's & 2's on some occasions. I don't really like being in the spotlight so I stay behind the boards.

ThaFormula.Com - Were you ever an MC or did you always just know you wanted to make beats?

Sentense - I've had so many talented peoples in my surroundings through the years, that I never really considered picking it up. Also I'm not very much into being in the center of attention either, so it's pretty much natural that I'm into production.

ThaFormula.Com - What made you want to make beats?

Sentense - I wanted to make beats the way I feel they should sound, sort of a vision of what I want to create, and to choose what kind of MC's I want on a track. I always point out to people that I first and foremost see myself as a fan of Hip-Hop music and music in general...

ThaFormula.Com - How long have you been making beats?

Sentense - I got into the game kind of late, but for like 5 years I've been doing it seriously. Basically I was lazy as fuck being a teenager; only played videogames, drank beer and listened to music... it took me a while to get going.

ThaFormula.Com - What equipment do you use, and do you have your own studio?

Sentense - I make the beats in a home studio environment and then I bring it to this studio when I record. It's not a good solution because I feel like it's too much of an effort to do it, but I hope to get my shit together and equip. a basement somewhere. My equipment is a secret...haha, but let's just say I'm the 9th Wonder type of producer and that will get some of the people out there talking.

ThaFormula.Com - How do you usually construct a beat, sample first? Drums?

Sentense - I always work the sample first, and then I chop it up or loop it up, depends on how it is structured... then it's like I get a vision of how the drums should sound. I know producers that do it the other way around, but for me it's like getting a feel if the beat works out at all. The thing is that I try to keep the melody in the parts I chop up and the way I patch them together...I don't want it to sound like sound fragments only.

ThaFormula.Com - You know using live instruments seems to be kind of the big trend nowadays, do you play any or incorporate them played by others into your music?

Sentense - As it is right now I'm pretty much keeping it to the basics of beat construction, but I'm trying to expand beyond the simplicity. I've done songs with a live band called Illstar (www.illstar.nu) out here in Sweden and they've done a few songs on my shit. On one song we did, they put down guitar licks but nothing significant. I believe it adds a dimension to the production using instruments, but just to a certain extent, it's hard to get that organic feeling nowadays that you can find on wax. I'm definitely impressed by guys that can incorporate live instruments in a good way, I really dig how Kev Brown does it.

ThaFormula.Com - How would you describe your production style?

Sentense - I would say it's very soulful and melodic, with the harmony of mellow jazz stuff at times. I don't really do one kind of beat, I try to get a versatile sound, sometimes I can chop up strings or horns and get a very raw feeling to it, and sometimes it's close to R&B production, like really mellow.

ThaFormula.Com - Where do you look for samples and what is the vinyl scene like in Sweden?

Sentense - My primary source for vinyl is small shops around town that sell second hand vinyl, at those spots they can sell good stuff really cheap. If the records aren't any good, they could at least contain cool sounds. There's also interesting stuff such as Scandinavian folk and jazz music... There's a lot crate diggers out here, so I have a hard time getting all the goodies I want to get my hands on.

ThaFormula.Com - What or who influences you? Is it mainly American artists, or do you draw inspiration from people around you?

Sentense - I grew up on mainly on early/mid 90's American Hip-Hop and somehow that's what sets the standards for me personally. I can be inspired by old and new stuff. I try keep up the interest by always checking out names I've never heard of. I kind of have that shit in me...back in the late 90's I kept on digging for good stuff when the independent scene got huge…I know a lot of people that just didn't care when that happened, but I would say those that had the most influence on me are the D.I.T.C. crew. Those guys just did some amazing stuff for years... but there's basically too many influences so sum them up. When it comes to the people around me, that's the foundation...those guys and girls that I've been building on with music with for years, they've had a great influence on me. I think most people build their outlook on music in combination with other people. And I gotta say there's a lot of talent around here in Sweden that I know of, that's slept on, but there's only a few and they'll eventually get to shine.

ThaFormula.Com - Tell me a little about those around you and your crew and how you came together…

Sentense - I've got all kinds of people around me, but no obvious connection to a crew that we represent daily. This is basically because I moved to where I live now, just a few years ago and there's a lot of people into music here. I get around with different people, that way I can make new connections and expand into new surroundings, I like it that way. But then again I have those close to me that I know got my back, not necessarily into music.

ThaFormula.Com - I have to admit, I'm pretty oblivious to the Hip-Hop scene outside of America, can you describe how it's perceived or portrayed over there?

Sentense - Oh this is a tough question... but it's like this. Sweden is pretty much influenced by American popular culture, like we get a lot of TV shows, movies and music…especially Hip-Hop. It's very much influenced by American artists and has been all through the 80's, 90's and still is. I think most people out here have adapted Hip-Hop into their socio-cultural context, which means that it's not totally like the US scene. I would say that the significant thing that media focuses on about American Hip-Hop is the "gangsta," "criminal," and "money" aspects of the RAP scene, which of course most people understand is about entertainment. But still I think most people out here are aware of the huge scene in the US, I mean there must be MC's and DJ's everywhere you go. I think how I perceive Hip-Hop in Sweden has been influenced by a lot of people moving here, or even living for a while in NYC or LA. Back in the 80's there were a bunch of American citizens that resided in Stockholm and other major cities. It's like they brought the concept of the culture with them from the US, and with time it has evolved over here into something that is pretty much like it would be in any underground community in the US.

ThaFormula.Com - Well, there is MC's and DJ's on every corner and it's not bad having DJ's everywhere, except for when you're looking for good records! But MC's are a different story. There isn't a lot of originality out here, at least not in Los Angeles. What's the MC scene like in Sweden? I'd imagine there would be a lot of creativity…

Sentense - I see a lot of creativity out here, but most people are overconfident and think they can keep it up, when they really can't. But there's a heap of MC's rhyming in English that could make an impact internationally, or at least in Europe. But then again, a lot of kids don't get it right.

ThaFormula.Com - What do you think is the biggest misconception is about Hip-Hop outside of America?

Sentense - I don't know of any misconceptions really...the only thing I can think of is that some European heads try to act like they're American. I know younger kids out here nowadays that think Hip-Hop is in the way they dress, now that's sort of a huge misconception.

ThaFormula.Com - Does Hip-Hop carry different labels there like it does here in America? Is there an underground, mainstream etc, or is it all considered the same?

Sentense - Definitely the same categories, because most people listen more to American Hip-Hop than Swedish or European Hip-Hop. There are only a few major label artists out here that can keep their sales up, and compared to the US artists they don't sell shit. I would say personally that I listen to 90% American Hip-Hop, that might give you an idea of what it's like.

ThaFormula.Com - What is the scene there like for performing?

Sentense - We have a few cities that have great spots for performances with promoters that bring quality artists. I've personally been involved in bringing artists to perform out here such as J-Live, 7L & Esoteric and K-Otix. People definitely show up for shows out here if they get promoted properly. In the past year I have seen artists such as Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Little Brother, Gangstarr, Brand Nubian, and Nas so we definitely get some good shows out here, but it's not very often though. Not like every weekend, more like once a month. Next week I'm going to see Atmosphere, Pacewon and Earatik Statik, it'll be a hot show.

ThaFormula.Com - Wow I'm a little jealous, because I've never seen Pete & CL and I'm in L.A.! Promoters here need to get up on that. What was you're favorite show you've been to?

Sentense - I'd definitely say a show back in '99, Gangstarr did a GREAT show and had Afu-Ra, Freddie Foxxx and Hannibal Stax. That night was magic.

ThaFormula.Com - Have you recorded with any American artists besides K-Otix who's featured on your EP?

Sentense - I'm going to do a bunch of tracks for Willmatic on his upcoming album. Other than that I've had a hard time connecting when not being physically present in the US. Like K-Otix and K-Skills/Dr Becket...we did those songs for my EP while they were on tour over here. Maybe if I would catch up with any MC's on tour I could make it happen. But I don't have a label or management that shop my stuff in the US right now. I think that's a must if you don't work within a group only.

ThaFormula.Com - Who are some of the artists you'd like to work with?

Sentense - Oh, there's a bunch of people that I'd love to work with. Just some names from the top is Rasco, Brother Ali, Sub-Concious, Oktober and Cormega. That's just a few. Damn there so many good MC's out there, it's hard to narrow it down to a few.

ThaFormula.Com - I mentioned your EP that you have out right now, tell us a little about that...

Sentense - Yeah the EP was a project that I initially was supposed to drop along with my production partner Snotnose, we got this production team called Sonic Energy Music. Y'all can go check us out at www.sonic-energy.com, but because of some trouble we had with some of the featured MC's, we decided that I'd drop this EP myself. So I gathered a bunch of Swedish and American MC's and it turned out be 3 actual songs and 2 remixes. We got K-Skills and Dr Becket on it that have been dropping stuff on the now defunct Bronx Science label, and also Houston's finest, Mic and Damien of K-Otix. Alongside with some of the best English spitting MC's in this country, is my man Blackfist that's featured on the K-Otix track.

ThaFormula.Com - How difficult is it to release material there, are there a lot of labels that are looking to sign acts, or are you basically responsible for hustling your own material?

Sentense - A few years ago it was all good, a few major label acts got some serious sales and companies came out looking everywhere, but now the record sales are not really profitable. We've got a few labels that focus on Hip-Hop. For example Juju Records has good artists and have got their business going. Other than that there's a heap of artists that work on smaller scale and handle all their business themselves, you know, the idea of cutting out the middle man. For me personally it was a lot of work and politics for such a small EP project and I got it out at the end of '03. Unfortunately it only got distribution in Scandinavia. I think it'll be better though, but let me tell you like this...I definitely need to expand outside of Sweden, so I'm looking into some solutions to make things better.

ThaFormula.Com - What are you working on now? Are you working on production outside of your crew?

Sentense - Right now I'm working on production for different artists out here, and the collabo with Willmatic is gonna be fire! Other than that I got too much shit on my mind right now, trying to finish up my exam at college this Spring, as well.

ThaFormula.Com - Where's your EP available?

Sentense - Right now it's only available through the following stores… www.blenda.com and www.recordmania.net for heads in the US or Europe. In Scandinavia it's available at any retail store that's got a vinyl department.

Check out (www.s88310712.onlinehome.us/Sentense-Who_This_Iz.mp3) "Who This Iz" featuring Dr Becket, K-Skills & DJ DP-One from Sentense's "Sonic- Energy" EP and be sure to check out samples of his beats at the top of this interview.

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