Today we’d like to introduce you to Ronnie “Rothstein” Land II.
Ronnie “Rothstein”, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My journey started in Phoenix, AZ when I was in the 6th grade when I received a $300 gift from my godmother for making the honor roll. With that money I bought myself a Zoom RT-123 drum machine and began making beats. Over the next two years, I acquired more equipment for my home production and recording set up. When my older brother (Chris), graduated high school and moved out, he had left an empty room in the house. I quickly turned his bedroom into my recording studio. Over the next few years, while attending high school and one year of college, I continued making beats but not really pursuing a career in music. In 2006, I reconnected with my childhood friends/brothers Roy (Royal Mac) McLemore, and Darnell (Duece) Terry in Phoenix, and started making music again. We worked on numerous projects for ourselves and other Arizona artists such as Williy Northpole (formerly of DTP), Rampage (of FlipMode Squad), and the DJ Drama hosted mixtape by Deebo Lotti Maserati. In 2017, I got tired of the regular 9-5 work life. I quit my call center job and went to work for my mother helping take care of my Step Father during his last year as he battled cancer.
In Oct 2017, I finally started school for Audio Engineering at The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) where I graduated with a 3.9 GPA and 98% attendance. After completing my on campus studies, I packed up my stuff and moved to Atlanta in search of an Internship. Finally, I got an internship at ZAC/Astro Studio in Midtown. But, it was short-lived as I was fired on my first day for sharing a snapchat video of Rick Ross at the studio. Disappointed hardly describes how I felt. I did not give up, I searched for another internship, and was provided an “audition”, if you will, for an actual paying job at DJ Drama’s Means Street Studios. The session did not go as well as I had hoped, and I did not get the position. At this point, I had been living in Atlanta for about two months with no job or prospect of one. So in the last ditch effort, I applied at Patchwerk Recording Studio and was accepted immediately. I paid my dues for a year before being promoted to a Staff Engineer at Patchwerk and relieved of my internship duties. That ended up being the best place for me to learn and grow. It was a tough journey, but well worth it.
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?
Dealt with the death of my father Oct. 1st, 2017, and started school Oct. 27th, 2017 (the day before my birthday), I was not able to show my father how well I did in school and that I was finally going to follow my passion. When I initially moved to Atlanta, I lived in a hotel in Forest Park, with roaches, mold, drugs, and violence, and had to donate plasma, pawn jewelry, I drove for Lyft, and postmates, etc. to earn money while working my (unpaid) internship.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I mostly record songs for hip hop and R&B artists. But, I also have recorded an Audio Book for KRS-One, I appeared on an Episode of T.I. & Tiny’s Family and Friends Hustle, I record vocals from Idris Elba (English Actor), YFN Lucci, Coca Vango, Mozzy, Slim (of 112), OMB Peezy, Lil’ Got It, Mozzy, Shad Da God, Tootie Raww, etc… What sets me apart from other engineers is that I have the ear and the feeling. Some people just get it. They know how to put together s record. It feels good to feel like you were born to do something, and when your hard work pays off and proves it, you feel validated.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was energetic, I wrote poetry, and always have been interested in technology and music. I used to buy CD’s and read the credits in the booklet to see who produced and mixed the albums.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 623-349-9537
- Email: bassheadbeatz@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronnie_rothstein/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SLIM.ROTHSTEIN
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RonnieRothstein
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfWdNhywu2nJapCHGUjt2wg
Image Credit:
Fantasy Images
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