Hip-hop music turned 50 years old in 2023, so we caught up with Stephen ‘Bud’da’ Anderson whose contribution to the hip-hop music world spans his entire life. From a young boy in Pittsburgh to producing one of hip-hop’s most memorable albums with Dr. Dre and Ice Cube.
What are some of your early memories of hip-hop music?
I was one year old when hip-hop came onto the scene, so I can literally say I’ve been a part of hip-hop from its conception. It wasn’t until I was about 11 that the music started to change my life in a real way. Before I even started creating music hip-hop taught me to be innovative, whether it was cutting up boxes to have cardboard to break dance on or tearing the face off of a boom box radio to use it as my only resource of scratching like a DJ.
Like many, I started making beats, but I had neighborhood kids and others from the city coming to my parents’ house to record songs. I would have never dreamed that music would take me this far or that hip-hop was anything more than a hobby or fad!
I met Ice Cube through a group he had named Kausion that my friend Sam Sneed introduced me to, he liked the music I had given them and wanted me to do some beats for him. I ended up with five songs on the West Side Connection album but I’m sure I sent him at least 200 or more beats! Ice Cube had always been a childhood idol and I wanted to do my very best so I worked day and night to give them the best music that I could possibly give.
Who was your favorite rapper back then?
LL Cool J was one of my favorite rappers, I thought his rap flow and clothes were cool! I felt like I was him without being a star lol! I would dance in the mirror and rap his songs with the music up really loud. I even wanted a boom box and Kangol hat like he had.
What was it like working on the “Bow Down” album back in the 90’s?
Working on the Westside Connection album was a new experience for me, I knew nothing about the business, and I just loved doing beats! My whole day consisted of making beats and drinking strawberry quick!
I met Ice Cube through a group he had called ‘Kausion’ that my friend Sam Sneed introduced me to, he liked the music I had given them and wanted me to do some beats for him. I ended up with five songs on the West Side Connection album but I’m sure I sent him at least 200 or more beats! Ice Cube had always been a childhood idol and I wanted to do my very best so I worked day and night to give them the best music that I could possibly give.
How do you think hip-hop has changed in the last 50 years?
I do believe that hip-hop has changed quite drastically, partly because of its monetization, When I first started doing hip-hop music it was definitely for the love I didn’t have an anticipation of it being a career!
Before I started doing hip-hop music personally I enjoyed all of the elements of the culture breakdancing graffiti DJing and MCing. In some ways the culture has evolved into the fashion world, and hip-hop culture sets the pace for all things creative in my opinion!
Also, with the technology we have today, it allows anyone to be involved with making hip-hop music. It has made it easier in a sense and took away the spontaneous creativity that we have as human beings and made certain things cookie cutter. Hip hop music when I was growing up always strived to be original. No one was allowed to sound like anyone else, that’s just not the case nowadays.
You must have a vast record collection!
Yes, I have a record catalog from things collected over 40 years. Unknowingly this vast record collection and enthusiasm to chop up records and experiment on different sounds, and hours and hours of listening to movie soundtracks, has led me into scoring music for film and television. In hindsight I’m extremely grateful of the process this musical journey, I learned music theory by sampling records and making Hip Hop beats! I love being able to appreciate the culture as a fan and as a participant!
Anything else to add? Do you want to mention your work with Dr. Dre?
My years at Aftermath Records changed my whole trajectory of making music, the raw talent of taking samples and making a beat would never be the same for me. Dr. Dre showed me how to incorporate live musicians to my beat making and the art of mixing records and sound design. What used to just be just beats turned into beautiful music, and beautiful music for me at this point has turned into a love for composing music for a film and television! Thanks, my friend Dre, I am forever grateful
For more information on Bud’da follow him on Instagram, IMDb, TikTok.