Today we’d like to introduce you to Andres Roldan.
Hi Andres, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Andres Roldan and I am also known as RP. Emcee/Producer/Engineer for the crew Greenlights Music from Chicago.
Greenlights Music is a collective of Emcees from Chicago under the production of RP. The crew of 6 sometimes 7 emcees is sometimes backed by a live band consisting of Drums (Nate Greer), Guitar (Joe Goodkin), Bass guitar and co-producer (Tim Deuchler), and keys/Sax (Anthony Gomez). Rp also compliments the band on the ones and twos. Emcees_Abitight, Spiderface, Doc Wattson (who also accompanies the band on sax), Bob Rok, Casagrown, and Phonetics.
I was originally in a fantastic live hip hop band called Abstract Giants (see Cary Kanno). circa 2000-2010 in Chicago. Being an emcee in the city of Chicago was a wonderful journey and most certainly a challenge during that time. I had the opportunity to do amazing shows at House of Blues with Wu Tang Clan, the Abbey pub with Lyrics Born, even The Double Door with legend Bernie Worrell. Chicago had a lot to offer to smaller local artists at that time. That being said, to be any kind of artist in Chicago is tough. There is mostly solid competition and most people who make music here are real enough to know that they ain’t doing it for the $$. You better love it…or move to LA..jk
I started Greenlights Music productions in about 2010 when I started learning and working as a music engineer in different studios behind my mentor Rollin Weary. I knew I wanted to learn more about the other side of music when I started rapping and Rollin gave me a chance to sit, watch, laugh, and see how meticulous and unforgiving the recording process can really be for any kind of engineer. Rollin really is a genius. He had a way of describing sounds in a mix by shapes that still haunts me. One thing he always said when being asked when it was appropriate to consider a mix finished was..”in the end”. “Do you think it sounds good?”. Then its done.
Post Covid 2020…
As I continued doing smaller mixes, making beats, scores, I realized I was still missing the challenge of live performances and of course being able to rap to a crowd. I got my partner in crime Abitight and recruited some counterparts from other crews to start building what we have today. Abitight was also in the group Abstract Giants and was always a commanding presence on stage. He also wanted to try something different and new. Spiderface and Casagrown came from the duo BadWolff. We all started hanging out in Greenlights Studios and before we new it freestyles were being kicked and songs started manifesting.
Later we became good friends with local super hero/Emcee Bob Rok. Immediately he fit right in with the crew and became a driving force for projects of his own and others!
Doc Wattson came to the crew last after I saw him rapping live in a Chicago bar and knew he would be a perfect fit with the other homies.
While still producing beats and recording the crew I slowly I built pieces of a live band from people/players I knew from the past and friends referred from other friends.
As the shows compiled and the albums continued, the emcees, instrumentalists, song arrangements, group dynamic, and crowd numbers got better.
We have now been playing live in Chicago for almost 6 years. We have been in many of the local venues and even hit the road once in a while in the Mid West. We have completed three band albums and come fall I will have finished production on another solo album for one of our crew members (5). We have gained much respect from the underground community but also from other unexpected supporters and hip hop enthusiasts. We were nominated by the Chicago Reader for best Hip Hop group 3 years in a row! Also Chirp Radio has us on consistent rotation and we reached the top of their monthly charts more than once! The support from our city has been truly up lifting.
It would seem that it helps to have like minded and respectful loving people around you to not only help you create but to guide your inspiration.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Struggles are inevitable in the music industry. Especially now. It’s an uphill battle to break even on the road, get people out to week day shows, even create a true (not internet) driven following. Not to mention hip hop music is very over saturated. On top of all that major streaming platforms don’t give close to appropriate compensation to artists for streaming our music.
To us, Hip Hop is our culture, not necessarily to monetize. Sure we would love to make music our main source of income but no, we don’t need limos, crystal, and material shit to do our thing.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I (Rp) am an emcee first. My writing approach changes but mostly I love working with other good artists to challenge myself and others. I love the team aspect of “group” anything.. I also credit many years of understanding the craft of being an emcee to A LOT of listening to the greats.. for me..those would be KRS, Masta Ace, Digable Planets, Rakim, Wu, Tribe, De La, The Roots, Black Thought, Lootpack, Doom, Hiero…and on and on…
The understanding of how to emcee also drew me into Hip Hop production. I started to understand how, what, and which beat would “HIT” with each artist. Again, listening to my favorite producers was imperative…Prince Paul, RZA, Madlib, Dilla, on and on and on..
Now after years of hands on practice in bigger studios as well as Greenlights Music studios, I would say that I am more than proficient recording anywhere. As well as mixing and mastering most projects. I recorded, mixed, mastered, and wrote almost all the music Greenlights has released.
All that said, rapping will always have the most special place in my heart.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Networking in the Chicago underground Hip Hop scene is sometimes very rewarding, At the same time it can also be heartbreaking and disappointing. The one piece of advice I would give to anyone networking in the live music scene these days would be, don’t be afraid to shunned, pre judged, and even bullied. There will always be groups of artists that are basically “non-inclusive”. The important part is to not let that part destroy your love or your passion for your art form. Keep trying and link with like minded individuals that also give back to you as much as you give to them.
As far as production or music engineering I would say, find an engineer you like and follow them around for weeks, months, years. Sit and watch, take notes, and when appropriate, ask questions. Usually the engineer will let you stick around if you’re not too much of a mouth breather. Rollin Weary_Grammy winning Engineer, was a blessing for me. He was not only one of Chicago’s best engineers, but he is a tremendous friend and always welcomed me into his studios. Find someone like Rollin.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/greenlightsmusicchi
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenlightsmusicchi
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreenlightsmusicCHI
- Other: https://greenlightsmusicchicago.bandcamp.com/
