Today we’d like to introduce you to Cue ColdBlooded.
Hi Cue, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
First and foremost I’m a lover and student of music, but I’m also a producer, recording artist, and audio engineer. My passion and introduction to music started as early as I can remember as a young kid. My late grandmother Honey had tons of vinyl records and I’d often find myself listening to the likes of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye while singing/dancing as I stare in the living room wall mirror like I was performing. The melodies, the moves, the aura… it was all so dope and intriguing to me.
My father definitely had a big impact on my start as well. Being a minister of music himself and traveling the country performing in a quartet during the ’80s, I was introduced to singing in choirs and tinkering with instruments growing up going to church often. My father bought me my first Yamaha keyboard and I eventually learned how to program beats directly from that. To this day, that desire to learn & create hasn’t faded one bit. Those memories made music intriguing, but Hip-Hop is where my true heart resides. I soon began to write raps to the beats I made on that keyboard. I met my best friend Steve in the 6th grade. I feel like the origins of The Domino Effect began then before we even knew it. We’d freestyle (to beats or acapella) on cassette tapes a lot of days after school before his dad got home from work then hide them because we probably shouldn’t have been saying some of the things we were saying at that age lol. 1 or 2 of those tapes may possibly exist today, legend has it.
The love for Hip-Hop over the years led me to study and collect (as much as I could physically and digitally) art from some of my favorite rappers and producers that influenced me the most. I finally got my hands on a cracked version of Fruity Loops (now called FL Studio) my senior year of high school then produced, recorded, and mixed my first ever project in my studio apartment my freshman year of college. The quality wasn’t good at all I admit. I’m sure I’d cringe if I heard it today, but the experience of crafting every layer of my ideas was rewarding nonetheless.
As of today, I am blessed to say I have one of the coolest home studios an independent artist could have. With this access, I’ve been able to write, record, produce (on or for), and mix over 20+ albums/EP’s and more recently, podcasts over the last 12 years with a large portion of that being a part of “The Domino Effect” with my bro Steve N. Clair and sis DJ Nico Marie since I’ve been here on the STL underground scene.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Oh yeah. I’ve had some highs and lows for sure. For me as an artist, one of the main challenges I face is sometimes feeling burnt out. Not in a pessimistic type of way, but as an independent artist, you often have to wear a lot of hats. I made the choice to write, record, produce, arrange, and edit the majority of my music. That’s quite time-consuming alone and that’s not including the “real work” of marketing yourself, booking gigs, and balancing all of that with your personal life as well. On the producer side, I’d say “beat block”.
Similar to writing with “writer’s block”, There have been times I’ve tried to come up with melodies or ideas for hours and just scratched them. I usually just step away because the slightest moment can spark an idea. That’s the beauty of it. Another challenge, although kind of funny, is not finishing a beat in the first place. I couldn’t tell you how many ideas or nearly completed beats I just left unfinished on my computer. I don’t know if it’s a producer thing, but it’s super easy to get another idea of something totally different while working on something else. Audio engineering obstacles are more technical obstacles than anything for me.
I didn’t go to school for audio engineering. Everything I know, I learned by trial and error from all the songs I’ve mixed to the countless hours I’ve spent watching and reading techniques/tutorials on YouTube and Google. I like the life you can bring to a song, but I don’t feel as “free” creatively with it as I do with making the music so I’d say it’s a bittersweet type of feeling.
I mainly did it, in the beginning, to save money because professional studio time can get expensive quickly, but the more I’ve done it over the years, I’ve gotten light years better and want to continue to do so.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a producer, recording artist, and audio engineer. I mainly specialize in Hip-Hop & R&B, but I love to incorporate other genres/elements into my sound. This creative process includes writing lyrics, performing/recording vocals, composing/arranging, and mixing/editing audio. I’m mainly known for being 1/3 to STL-based Hip-Hop group “The Domino Effect” and 1/4 of the podcast “Polite Coolery”.
I’m most proud of the creative impact and longevity we’ve had in the city. Just to think how much we accomplished over the years from a small room in my house we call “The Dug Out”. The recognition received in the time has been motivating. I look forward to continuing my work and using my resources to help expand the culture. What sets me apart from others is my sound/message. I want you to feel what you’re hearing.
Not just listen. With that said I’m excited that The Domino Effect’s long-awaited new album “Ain’t In Hollywood” will arrive this fall and I’m also working on my first beat album that I plan to release by spring 2022! Stay tuned!
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Create a plan, idea, or goal. During the process of chasing this remember why you started or what made it genuine in the first place. Always go back to this if you get lost. Execute that plan, idea, or goal. Smile and celebrate the success. Tangible accolades or money is just icing on the cake.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cue_coldblooded/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CueColdBlooded
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cue_coldblooded
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCna1kgfEGsgP6chdX7OZ4lg
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/cuecoldblooded
- Other: https://cuecoldblooded.bandcamp.com/
Image Credits
Martell Stepney, Kevin Lindsey, and Noah D. Photography
