Chris DeLine

Javan Brewer is Hataraqq, and Hataraqq is Javan Brewer. Javan Brewer doesn’t say much, only briefly elaborating on his electronic productions here. Hataraqq’s audio output is ripe with concise sound clips, only teasing what they might become if they were fully expanded compositions. Throughout his music there are Eddie Murphy, James Brown, and Blackalicious samples, and each of his songs is embedded with something of its own thumbprint — one that I thought was a Billie Holiday sample. I was wrong. And after our brief Q&A I feel like there’s a lot more to learn beyond which old jazz sample flows through his music. As both Javan and Hataraqq, he kind of leaves us guessing.

There’s a sample that runs through many of your songs, including a couple on your Myspace page that appear to date all the way back to 2007 (“The Way it Goes,” “All Day Jammin”). Is it from Billie Holiday’s “Twenty Four Hours a Day“? What drew you to using this vocal sample?

The sample “twenty four hours” is from a Cab Calloway song, “Calloway Boogie“! I use this sample because it calls out the frequency in which I think about groove heavy music. When you hear it you know its Hataraqq music.

Over the past two months or so you’ve added 35 tracks to your Soundcloud page. I went through them all, and the average length is about 1:49. Do you intentionally stay away from expanding on compositions in favor of putting out compact clips?

I use the Soundcloud page to present a preview of my work. With the allowed amount of upload time, I have to pick and choose which splashes to display. So most are chopped down, or edited to fit that window. I get the feel of track across or at least give 16 bars for emcees. Some sound-splashes dry up in a minute or so, but you definitely get wet! Extended versions also available. (LOL)

Coincidentally, 1:49 is the length of my favorite track of yours, “Slow Woks,” which features local vocalist Schelli Tolliver. Who is Schelli and how did you two connect?

Schelli is a songbird I met years ago at the Peanut downtown (HH&HW). From being a fan in the crowd, to networking and building with her, JL, Godson, and fam BrooksofMHS… Schelli started coming through and it’s been cool every since. I was going through some of her vocal clips and simply in the midst of creating sprinkled “Slow Woks” with her spice.

Question in the form of an answer: “Myle High Society.”

MHS, brainchild of Sasha Brooks, a movement of the multi-talented individuals supporting and producing materials of the fresh nature! I happen to grace the stage with my emcees hat on a couple of time in Lawrence, KS and here at home at the Czar Bar.

Rapid fire finale: Favorite local producer; favorite Busta Rhymes song; and which local artist would you most like to collaborate with?

If I didn’t produce myself, I couldn’t fairly answer that question. I need the When Disaster Strikes album! “So Hardcore,” Get Off My Block.” My shit. I listen through the skips! And “Raw” is an all-timer for me. I want to work with all my Peanut alumni, and hopefully every and anybody along the way. I’ve got something for a lot of artist[s] out there, whomever is with the passion for the music.

[This article first appeared at Mills Record Company.]