Hip-Hop producer Branden "Noc Beats" Boyd talks Doin' Homework

A lot of hip-hop artists make mixed tapes that sound as if they were made in the basement of someone's grandmother's house. So, when I met Branden Boyd -- a hip-hop producer who recently moved to Charlotte -- and he told me to download his group's mix tape, I wasn't sure that I wanted to.
It's a good thing that I did.
Talk about quality production.
Boyd spoke to me about the music.


1.       What makes Doin Homework album different from other hip-hop records?
Doin Homework is different than other albums out right now, because it is “Hip Hop.”
The concept of Doin' Homework Vol.2 - The Foundation is that we studied different groups and artist's over the years that created Hit Unit's DNA. So, you can hear different elements of Hip Hop in every song that was produced on the project. The song Recess (Produced by Noc Beats)(me) for example, he used the piano sample from Gang Starr's Manifest and Doug E. Fresh's Alright. On the song, Say What, the drums are the drums from A Tribe Called Quest's Electric Relaxation. If you’re a true Hip Hop head you will embrace and recognize that. All the members possess different elements of  Hip Hop from: classic and craditional to southern. Also when have seen a big member group where every member is nice with lyrics. None, since the Native Tongues, Wu Tang, or the Dungeon Family.

2. How long has the Hit Unit been together?

Hit Unit has been together since 2001 and started at the University of Wisconsin - Parkside in Apt 1c.

3. Are you a producer who also raps?
Naw, I don't rap, I let the fellas handle that. I talk through my beats. A classic album is the marriage between the perfect beat and perfect rhyme on every song.

4. How did you get involved in music?
Since I was a baby, I’ve been into beats and music. My mom said I use to jingle keys to keep a beat and beat on pots and pans like a drum set. Then I went to Elm Creative Art School, Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts in Milwaukee. At these schools they target it in on your gifts and help perfect them. Then when I got to College I started DJing and doing beats. Even now in my production you can hear how I blend different sounds and samples to make something great.

5. If people want to download the music, how can they do it?  
If people want download music from Hit Unit they can go to www.hitunitent.com (Doin' Homework Vol.II - The Foundation and DJ O of V100 presents The Best of Hit Unit and to download my instrumental album called Nocstrumentals go to www.nocbeats.com.. Twitter:@hitunit @nocbeats   

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