What happened to DJ Hi-Tek?

Question

I said this before but it seems like i'm the only one who notices it. There is a huge difference between the rawkus hi-tek who would do dope scratches, dig and find some of the dopest samples, and this new keyboard computer digital hi-tek who doesn't dig as much anymore. I mean I've followed his work from all the way back in 1996 when he did those tracks on Mood-Doom, and they were dope, grimey, and classic, he did tracks for mike zoot, and then his rawkus days were dope with Black Star, as Reflection eternal with kweli, the first 2 soundbombings, and the first 2 Lyricist Lounge album series, from like I said 1996-2000 he was one of the dopest producers in the industry, and then it seems like around 2001 or 2002 he stopped diggin' in the crates, he left the sp or mpc, and started to do this computerized, pro-tools or fruity loops ish and his beats became less complex and more basic, watered down, mainstream type of sound. I've heard people say the beats he's done with G-Unit are some of his best and Hi-techology 2 & 3 were good but my question is to the people who think that and don't notice a difference, is what has he done 2002-present that really ranks up there with any of these?

HEADPHONES Required

V

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVV_wESXt8w

Mood: Karma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp8wXbB2Mdc&feature=related

Mood - Tunnel bound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoKpW65ih4E

Mood - Millenium

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu4KYkDOj7s&feature=related

MOOD Cincinnati

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2liHZxCxwE

Reflection Eternal - Fortified Live

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v15549834crD3WKns

Reflection Eternal- 2000 Seasons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx5aVI2zsFE

Black Star- Definition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnSrz0cjvDA

Blackstar -Re-Definition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTPrkqy0JdI

Black Star - K.O.S.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiNwTL0HQRI

Blackstar- Respiration

Answer 1

marked. Ed...

Answer 2

you make a good point

but he is just expanding his fanbase by making different sounds

Answer 3

It's hard to tell these days man. Tek was ill late 90's to 01, then i guess he was seeing other opprotunities to produce tracks and thats good,but the sad part is he's compromising his beatmaking steez in order to sell to tone deaf MC's. People who dont recognize real boom bap never caught this.

Answer 4

I dont know what happened to him...but you are right...I used to think he was so dope...then all of a sudden...His beats werent that interesting to me any more...

Answer 5

DITC - You put your work in on this one.  I had forgotten about some of those beats.  Hi-Tek may have lost his hunger.  Think about the change in the industry, the artists that he use to work with exclusively now look to producers like Kanye, Will.i.am, and Just Blaze to do their beats.  He may be trying to pull a Timbaland.  Not that Tim was ever on the level of Tek with the scratches and digs, but he may be trying to get a more mainstream feel so that he can get work from a wider variety of potential artists.  96-01 was that Golden period when Rawkus ruled the world.  Hi-Tek and J. Rawls..good S**t.

Answer 6

no one has researched this matter before.I don't think anybody could answer this question.

Answer 7

The thing is, people change. Not everyone is as accepted as 3 Stacks when they do. I loved RZA, but he has changed so much I can't even listen anymore. Ish happens.

Answer 8

I can so agree.  Those first few tracks were perfect, commanding and raw.  They showcased his skills like none other.  You had a couple of my favs up there, Reflection Eternal, Millennium & Definition.  Now I understand where you get your moniker ~ Diggin in the Crates ~ it's tough.  But his later stuff is almost as if he's doing exactly what a lot of the main stream rappers are doing and taking the "easy" route out and giving up the old skool way of laying down tracks the right way.  I don't care if "so and so" told him to do it a certain way he was "known" for his skills and his work and he should NEVER had switched up.  He still shines, but not quite as bright.

Peace & Love  :)

Answer 9

I see where you're coming from...but it's just a different style/approach he's taking...can't fault him for doing doing.

But personally, I'm one of those people that would argue that his stuff with G-Unit is some of the best work he's done...but to answer your question, he was better back then the he is today, on the basis that back then his excellent beats were like an everyday thing, where nowadays most of his stuff is only average, imo.

Some of his other dope beats from after 2001

Ice Skate (BCC)

http://www.imeem.com/people/qPeVY1/music...

Cash Rulez (Cass)

http://www.imeem.com/kyarbro123/music/Cp...

And yeah...you could tell the mainstream appeal...I do prefer the old Hi-Tek...but he's still doing his thing.  

Answer 10

Diggin, yo-

He blessed Common with that "Sun God" beat and it was all down hill. I still copped all his solo efforts, and while this may seem over simplified, I think he's lacking the inspiration that Talib gave him when they were both grinding to get a piece of the pie. However, I think he's going to come half-circle (not full circle). Look at Pete Rock's Petestrumentals album. It's not appreciated among those who'd know, but when he did The Surviving Elements, they came around. Hi-tek's gotta do something like that.  

Answer 11

I totally 100% agree.  Reflection Eternal was amazing production wise.  Even the first Hi-Tek album with "Sun God" was crazy.

But volumes 2 and 3 were just eh...   He said in an interview that he started working with Dr. Dre and he persuaded him to move away from the samples and play live instruments.  That's cool I guess, but I agree, totally lost the sound I fell in love with.

On top of that, his song structure got really weird, especially on volume 3.  He'll have some R&B person singing for like half the song, then a verse, then another chorus, and then another verse.  Too much singing, what happened to the rap?

Answer 12

wow...