Born in Columbus, Ohio, Albert Shepard (a.k.a. Printmatic) has made a name for himself as an artist and producer. He has been a full time musician for 14 years now and makes no plans to change what direction his life has taken since he has made it full-time. Along with rapping and producing, Printmatic is a host of his own podcast “Super Duty Tough Work,” has produced a few videos, and is the author of 3 books. It is safe to say that Weightless Recordings wouldn’t be possible if he hadn’t made the decision to produce and make music for their fans.
RAPstation (Kianna Woods): What role did music play in your life growing up?
Printmatic: My mom was a really good singer so, you know, most of my early influences as far as music came from church; via the church choir,the church band, you know, singing in the church. It was really my first influence, learning music by ear more than anything, and then later on getting more structure. But, my household, my mom was always singing and between that and seeing records laying around the house, gospel records, soul records, that was all what I remember early about growing up.
Does religion and church still play a role for you?
I don’t really go to church anymore. I consider myself spiritual, but I don’t go to church. I’ll go with my mom if she asks me but I don’t really go on my own.
I was looking at where you got your start and you were originally in Greenhouse Effect. How old were you?
Oh man, Greenhouse Effect was my first crew. I was originally in college. When we came up with that name I was about 19, 20. The records started coming out when we were probably 21, 22, 23.
How did you meet your partners Inkwell and Manifest in the original group?
We all went to college together. Me and Inkwell use to freestyle together because we lived on the same floor in the dormitories. He was really good and I was just learning, so I kind of ended up getting into production first, more than anything. That was kind of what I thought we needed. We could rap but we never had any beats, you know? Otherwise we’d be freestylin’ forever!
Obviously it was a good idea!
Yeah! Yeah! It was the best idea I had ever come up with! If we were still freestylin’ I probably wouldn’t be on the phone with you today! It’s very important!
So now you are with Illogic in just Greenhouse, correct?
Correct. We had a falling-out with Manifest but me and Inkwell are still tight, he retired though. So it’s just me and Illogic now.
What made you want to rename the group to just Greenhouse?
Well, we were thinking about doing something new but because we had been a crew for so long a lot of people thought Illogic was part of Greenhouse Effect even though he technically never was. We were just always, all together. He was always on the record, we always put music together, so we were like “oh well sh*t, should we just keep the name, of should we do something new?” and then we were like “you know what let’s just keep it and do it in honor of the legacy. We’ll just chop of ‘Effect’ part and just make it Greenhouse."
Tell me about Weightless Recordings, how did that get started and why?
We started Weightless because you know, living in Ohio we never had anybody or any options of getting signed. We never thought we ever had an option. When we first started putting out records, independent music wasn’t what it is now. Where as now, people think “I can be successful without a record label.” You know? I could get on Twitter, or other social media today and show it without a label. When we first got started that wasn’t really the case. At least the perception wasn’t. So we were like “well fu*k it, we’re never going to get signed! There are no labels in Ohio. Who could sign us?” What were we going to do now that we know that no one is going to come here looking for us? So we said everybody put in 150$ bucks, and we’ll just make some tapes and pay for sh*t. Aside from gear to record with, that’s kind of how it started, us realizing that if we didn’t do something then nothing would happen. And I was just kind of the de facto leader of it because I was the guy who basically said if we don’t have and records of music for sale, we’re not going to be playing any shows. That was the rule I put in place that kind of got the whole thing started with the recording side of it all.
Music on the internet was starting to become a thing at that time. Before, you had to make a name for yourself locally and expand regionally and from there, maybe people would learn about you through touring. We came out just as there were internet retail shops who sold nothing but underground records. We focused on exactly what we did and it was such a new thing that all of a sudden we had 3 or 4 places who were selling our tapes all over the country. That really helped us at the time. People were making fun of us because some people thought we weren’t real, like the old-school people scene were like “aww that ain’t real! They put their music on the internet, who does that?” Or they thought we were corny because we didn’t want to get signed. “Ya’ll ain’t tryna get signed??”
Tell me a little bit more about that, because ya, you’re right, that was the “thing to do” back then if you had the talent, so why did you guys choose to do your own thing instead of getting signed?
Well we didn’t think it was really an option. We looked at the guys who never put out records. There was us and then the other groups with guys who were dope but never put out albums because they were so busy making demos to shop to labels but they never put out the music. The way we saw it was we are going to put out our music, period. And give it to the people who like us and maybe play shows for those people. I was always a fan of west coast stuff, and how they were selling tapes and CDs out the trunk and really doing it for their people and I was a fan of that, so us putting out our music could only help.
Where did the name for the group Greenhouse come from?
Greenhouse, we just opened the dictionary and said “whatever the fu*k page it lands on, we’ll find something”
Is that the real story? *Both in laughter*
Yeah! Me and Inkwell did it, we said, “let’s just open this dictionary let it fall and whatever page it opens to, ok the G’s! Greenhouse it is!” This was before Google, you know so had we known, that name would’ve been horrible for Google search.
What about Weightless Recordings? Where did that name come from?
Well that came from a name of a title of a song, the first song that all of us did together.
I’ve seen that you also have a podcast, "Super Duty Tough Work,” show going on. It’s on soundcloud where some of your other music is as well. How did that get started and what direction do you want to go in with it?
The idea came from when we were on tour, so me and my DJ, and whoever we were touring with. When your touring you’re driving like 5 hours a day and you’re going to have conversations about Hip-Hop and we would have so many hilarious conversations, or just really in depth great conversations and it gave me the idea "what if I could find a way to organize these conversations and let other people hear it, would people like it? How do I take these conversations about Hip-Hop that we’re having anyways and record them and make it to where people are interested in hearing it?" That was all the premise of the podcast.
I really wasn’t sure what people were going to say because it is kind of personal, there are few point where we say “listen to this,” they are really just of us sitting down bugging out and sometimes I say funny a** goofy sh*t on there, but it’s because I don’t prepare at all. I don’t script out anything because we want it to be natural and honest and have mature conversations without worrying about being politically correct. We are at a really good point where we’re gaining more followers, people listening. I would like to see the show get syndicated somewhere to a bigger outlet in a time slot. Weather that be a podcast or an internet show somewhere, that’s something I would entertain. I just see us getting better and better.
How would you describe radio today? (talk and music on the radio)
I think they are different because they are not really independent anymore. I think radio lacks is local voice. 15-20 years ago, before radio got consolidated, I think it was the 1996 Telecommunications act, before that came, when you turned on your radio in your city you would hear people that were from your city talking about local things. your morning show would be all about things that were specific to your home town and you might hear local artist played on there every now and again or programming really reflective of where you lived. I don’t feel that’s the case anymore, I feel like it’s all getting standardized where you listen to the radio and you hear a syndicated talk show made somewhere else and that reflects the sensibilities of those people and not the local preferences. So you have places like New York who are being given playlist with artists who are all southern and then New York artists who typically would be able to get play in their home town, which is the biggest medium market, are not really getting that play anymore because the people who decide the list are doing it on an national scope as opposed to “what do these specific people like in this region?” So I think that’s kind of hurt the originality of radio and I think that that’s why a lot of younger people aren’t listening to the radio at all now. I think that all applies to music and talk radio.
What message do you want to get across to your listeners through music and through your show?
I don’t know if I have a central message man, I think the only thing I feel I try to do with my stuff is make sure it’s honest and try to make sure that I’m honest and I’m grounded in reality but hopefully making things for all people to feel inspired. While I do have a lot of art that’s very serious I try to make sure I also have outlets and times when I embrace humor and things like that. That’s really what the podcast is. For me it’s just a way to blow off some steam and be funny and make fun of the circus that is Hip-Hop.
Would you say that anything in particular has influenced the way you make music?
Many things, socially it’s different now because I have an audience now. When I first started, like most artists, I didn’t really have an audience. You’re just kind of doing it for you and there is no expectation other than your own. As you do it longer and you get more fans, people just kind of expect things of you and sometimes you have to really think about where you want to take it and how to make yourself happy but also how to satisfy what people want to hear from you, so I think that social part effects me, but then other things that effect me musically is just technology. I think making music now is easier than it has ever been. When I first started I had to put a sampler on lay-away at a pawn show for like 3 months. It was like 800$ and that was a lot of money back in 96. For a college student I did’t have that kind of money. And it didn’t come with a manual, I couldn't youtube directions on how to use it, I had to figure all of that out. I’m not with the “things were better back in the day” stuff, nooo, making music is so much easier now *laughter* I don’t want them days back AT ALL!
You have a number of works out, albums that you’ve produced/done yourself/been in, EPs, and you continue to do so. What is your ultimate goal?
I don’t know if I have an ultimate goal. I think my goal, and the same goal I’ve had since I resigned from my job, to do this full time, was just to be able to do this and to survive off of art or creative things. I look at it like every year that I’m able to do this is a successful year to me. I don’t have like crazy monetary goals in doing this. I look at it like when I quit, “If I don’t have to go back there for 90 days I’ll be so happy.” That was it, “just let me last 90 days!” I’ve been doing this full time for 14 yeas now and that’s longer than anyone I know that has had a “real job.” No one can fire me! I’ve got the best job! You can’t fire someone who has created their own job!?
*Laughing* I mean, hey, isn’t that everyone’s ultimate goal?
Yeah! so that’s it, and when I look at it that way, I’ve achieved my goal. It’s just now I’m maintaining it and, you know, I add things to it so like the writing, “I wanna write a book,” you write a book! That’s success. Waking up and doing what you love to do.
In closing, I’ve really enjoyed talking to you and wanted to ask if there is anything you are trying to promote currently, or work we should look out for?
I have a new EP coming out, May 27th it’s called “Vigilante Genesis,” produced by Aesop Rock. We just started preorders and we just released the first single this morning (April 27th) at 11 o’clock and so if you’re on twitter you’ll see it in my feed, it’s been tweeted mad times! That’s the main thing!
Any surprises we should be looking out for?
I can’t let that out of the bag, gotta keep them in the bag man! *laughter*
It goes without say that Printmatic is a man of many talents and much to contribute to his followers. As a humbled artist who has reached his goals, he inspires that of others. His sense of humor is not only relatable but contagious, as well. Be sure to stay up to date with his work because he has no plan to stop any time soon!
