Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Banks.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Michael. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My start was as a DJ in the neighborhood. My neighbor had this component set whereas you could play a tape and the turntable at the same time. He showed me how he was playing two songs at one time and I was hooked. He, Ronald Jones, was one who taught me to recognize tempo matching between two songs.
The next phase or step up as a DJ was when I met a couple of carpenters who worked on my mom’s house. I knew them from my neighborhood but I didn’t know that they also deejayed for the local roller rink that everyone went to, Rainbow Roller Rink. So I got to know them pretty good and they introduced me to real turntables like the technique 1200s. From that point, I knew it was all about practice practice practice. These carpenters, Anthony and Phillip talked my mom into getting me my own set of turntables and I remember that it only took 3 minutes for me to break the needle, so sad.
Eventually, from listening to Kids Jam 90.9FM on Saturday mornings, I grew an urge for wanting to DJ house parties and school dances. So when the opportunities would come, I would jump on it with excitement. I became the neighborhood DJ of Trinity Garden. Throughout my school year of 10-12, I would sell mix cassettes. This led to the start of the Trinity Garden Cartel which was funded by Darrel Williams and James Foster. These guys were two very good friends that as kids we all played basketball in my back yard.
James and Darrel dropped by my mom’s house to see if I would be interested in being the producer of a hip hop group called The Trinity Garden Cartel and I accepted the challenge. Yes, I leaped out on faith with just a little knowledge of sampling records. From DJing, I saved up enough money to by a keyboard that could hold about 4 seconds of sampled audio.
So these two COE’s with their driven spirit purchased all the equipment I needed for a full state of the art preproduction studio. The pressure was on!. I was forced to show and prove and learn quick or be replaced. It is said that most successful people become successful after putting about 10,000 hours into their craft, well after a month or two my hours were only at about 200 sorry to say. I kept at it. Not only did I need to learn to produce but I needed to know song arrangements, song formatting, the equipment, vocal recording, and mixing, It was fun and stressful all at the same time.
Cartel Records was my only concern, track for track and every idea. With this group, we released about 10 projects.
1. The Ghetto My Hood
2. Don’t Blame It On Da Music
3. Straight Texas Hoodlum
4. Gone Done Changed
5. I Love Niggaz
6. 380 Dat Lady
7. I’d Rather Be Judged By 12 Than Carried By 6
8. Mafia Melodies
9. Ghetto Minista
10. The Final Chapter
The 2nd release was done under Rap-A-Lot Records/Priority Records. This really gave us the national exposure that we needed. Due to some uncleared album cover photos, we were forced to take this project off the shelf. This prompted a meeting with Rap-A-Lot to be released from the label. We were released and back independent like we started.
From joining with Rap-A-Lot, I began producing for artists such as Big Mike (formally of the Ghetto Boys), Menace Clan, Big Mello, The new exposure from working with their camp was a new level of pressure. I was happy to be in the room with these guys but deep inside, I knew the skill level of working the mixing boards and drum machine was on somewhat of a higher level than where I was. I got a chance to work with Mike Dean and N.O. Joe, who had already done many platinum records. I kinda had that first day at a new school feeling. Through it all, Mike and Joe and all the other engineers, John Moran, Skip Wilson, James hoover, were open and great to work with.
Big Mike’s project “Something Serious” was the first album that I received a Gold Album recognition. My next major placement was from Master P’s album “Ghetto Dope” with the song “Hatters”. This track was co-produced with Randy Jefferson. Another Gold co-production record came E-40 with the song “Trump Change”. My last major placement was from Mike Jone’s “Who Is Mike Jones” album with the song title “Flossing” featuring the late Big Moe R.I.P.
Currently, I am still making new tracks daily trying to stay relevant in today’s hip hop culture. My website is MikeBTracks.com, and I do as much social media as time will let me.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
One struggle was when my grandmother passed. I basically told everyone that I wasn’t going to be at my studio and someone broke in and took enough of my equipment that I had to shut down. This was a hard thing to take in but it was really a blessing. I was helping so many people around me that it was very overwhelming. I want to thank the DJ’s of Houston, GT, Steve Nice, and Madd Hatter for their support through that period. They repurchased equipment that I needed to keep going and told me “Don’t Stop”.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the MikeBTracks story. Tell us more about the business.
My company is MikeBTracks. A production company that specializes in tailor-made custom music production. I love that one on one experience with the rapper or singer.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I have been lucky to have forgotten the presentation tape at the Rap-A-Lot Studio that led to Big Mike choosing the title song and the album going Gold.
Pricing:
- Track Production 300
- Studio Time 40 per hour
Contact Info:
- Address: 8420 Westglen Drive
Suite 323
Houston TX 77063 - Website: www.MikeBTracks.com
- Phone: 4092767535
- Email: mikebee2000@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikebtracks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.banks.90857
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeBTracks
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