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BLACK  ENTREPRENEURS 

An interview with Darrell Keyes of Oudio Factory

Darryl Keyes is one of the hot new producers in the Houston area that is bridging his production prowess to a full blown entrepreneurial blueprint.  He is known for his pristine work in creating hip hop and Neo Soul tracks but Darrell is laying the groundwork to launch a full service recording and mixing facility that will accommodate all genres and soundscapes.  He is also on task to launch Oudio Factory, the record label.  Everything top notch.  I got to catch up with the Boy Wonder for a very brief conversation about the past and the plan for the future.

 

V. RAY:  How’d you end up in Houston and not Los Angeles or the east coast?

DK:  I’m originally from New Orleans but after college I moved to Austin.  I lived and worked there for a while.  About a year.  I came to Houston from Austin. With that, I was moving around a bit as I pursued music.  I ended up back here in Houston.

 

V. RAY:  You lived in Atlanta at some point as well, right?

DK:  Yeah, I spent some time in Atlanta from 2003-2005, just shy of three years.  I did some label work for a couple of So So Def affiliates, AVS Records and Rock Solid Entertainment.  It was great but in the end I came back to Houston.

 

V. RAY:  So what’s your focus now?  I mean, I know you’ve always done music production. 

DK:  Yeah, I’m very close to launching the Oudio Factory recording studio that will incorporate the existing music production services plus recording services, mixing and audio editing services and anything related to sound production.

 

V. RAY: How long have you been creating music?

DK: I’ve been doing production since ’97.  I started out as a DJ before that.  I had a company called Elemental Entertainment during college and I just evolved from DJ’ing to music production around 1997

 

V. RAY:  What about music influences?  Who inspires you or who do you listen to?

DK:  A lot of old school music.  I listen to a lot of 60s and 70s… old school music.  A lot of the greats.. Mike, Isaac, Chicago, Earth, Wind and Fire, those guys. I like applying the way songs were constructed back in the day and fusing it into today’s hip-hop and R&B.  I think I’m a good fit for some of the artists like Jill Scott, Lupe Fiasco, and Mos Def, to name a few artists I’d LOVE to work with.  Them or any neo-soul or conscious, positive hip-hop artist.  I’d love to work with ‘em.

V. RAY: What about your approach to creating music?

DK:  As far as my creativity, when I sit down to one of the MPCs I try to listen to my own compositions with a consumer’s ear.  If I was to buy a record, what would I want to hear?  That’s pretty much what I have in mind, to come up with something that’s authentic, natural sounding but at the same time is appealing.  Still has that hip-hop and R&B flavor.

 

V. RAY: What artists have you worked with?

DK:  Latoya Luckett, she was one of the first majors.  I had a chance to work with Doug E. Fresh, M.O.P., Nice N. Smooth.. and, more recently, on the southern front, Bun B., Juvenile, Lil’ Kee Kee and some of the local artists here in Houston.

V. RAY:  What can people expect from the new website and from the studio services?

DK:  The site is just a tool to establish a footprint within the audio community, both locally and globally.  As for the studio, one of the main services I’ll offer is online mixing where I can have indie or pro clients upload their recording session audio files to me for mixing and mastering and I send back a finished product.  Right now that’s what I’m planning to push the hardest company-wise.  The market isn’t very big in that area but is very lucrative once you can break into it.  That’s my ultimate, initial goal.  I’m rolling out a promotional plan that will include online promotion on industry sites and social media, print ads in trade magazines, local TV etc.  A huge introduction of the studio and the whole catalog of services available.

 

Like any producer I’d love to get that fat contract where I can produce artists and focus on creating.  But the grind I’m on means working hard on multiple levels simultaneously.

 

V. RAY:  So tell me about the award I saw in the lobby on the way in?

DK:  Oh that was an appreciation award I got from a local cheer squad, the Spring Dolphin Dolls, that I created music for.   They cheer for one of the area little league teams, the Spring Dolphins.  I donated music for their dance competition, their football team, basketball team and few others.  We’ve built a relationship over time and as a commemorative thank you, they awarded me a plaque.  It was unexpected and pretty cool, actually.

 

V. RAY:  So the studio is already up and running, then??

DK:  Yeah, it’s up and functional already.  I have two rooms outfitted.  One for full-on production and recording and the second room is ‘considered’ a preproduction room for creating beats but it has tracking capabilities as well as production tools.  My homeboy thinks I’m addicted to getting new toys for the studio and that I’ll never consider the studio “complete”.  He may have a point about my loving the latest gadgets but I’m very close to going live with everything.  The formal announcement and grand opening are forthcoming but I’m already turning out projects and building the Oudio Factory song catalog.

 

I’ve been prepping for this point for about a year and a half and I’m ready to make my mark with the Oudio Factory brand.

V. RAY:  So what would your parting shot?  What would you want fans or potential fans to know?

DK:  Only that you’re gonna get real music if you work with Oudio Factory in any form or fashion. You’re not gonna get watered down, fifteen minute beat making, etc.  You can definitely rest assured that if you work with any facet of Oudio Factory, be it production or recording, you’re gonna get top-notch work.  Bottom line.

 

 

Looks like the best is yet to come from this endeavor.  Looking forward to watching the brand grow.  Be on the lookout for the launch of Oudio Factory studios!!!

V. Ray

#positiveblack

#RiseShineRepeat

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