Clams casino interview

Pitchfork: Your samples aren't really obvious, for the most part. How do you find them?

CC: Well, the sample in "Motivation" is based on a second clip of a voice and some noise in the background that I found online. I just search for free sounds-- that's how I get all my drum sounds. I try to cut stuff up as much as I can to make it my own; when I really chop something up a lot and make it totally different, I feel really good about it.

Like, my beat "Realist Alive" samples the song "Hometown Glory" by Adele-- it's not a weird source, but I just make it sound weird. To find things to sample, I used to just type a random word-- like "blue" or "cold"-- into LimeWire or BearShare and download the first 10 results. I had no idea who the artists were or anything.

Clams Casino: "Realest Alive"

Pitchfork: I went back and listened to some of the songs on your mixtape with the rappers on them, and I liked the instrumentals better most of the time.

CC: Yeah, I hear that a lot. I didn't even really think about just putting the instrumentals out until I did this mixtape. I don't really listen to instrumental hip-hop at all; I have RJD2's Deadringer, but that's probably it. Now, all I want to do is put out instrumental stuff.

Pitchfork: Have any more well-known rappers hit you up for beats recently?

CC: Not really. Though, around Christmas, Lil B texted me like, "Soulja Boy wants you to send some sample beats through." So I sent three beats and Soulja put them out. We were supposed to do a whole mixtape together but it never happened. Honestly, that's one of the things that makes me want to do instrumental stuff, too. Because people tell me to save something for them and then they never rap on it. The beats just sit around for months. It's frustrating.

Pitchfork: Are there any rappers that you'd really like to work with?

CC: Number one is probably Cam'ron. I feel like he would fit my beats best. I've tried to reach out to him on Twitter but I haven't been able to get in touch. My other favorite rappers are Lil Wayne, Lil B, Juelz Santana, and 50 Cent. And my favorite producers are Young L from the Pack, Alchemist, Heatmakerz, and RZA.

Pitchfork: Finally, is clams casino one of your favorite dishes?

CC: I don't know if I've ever had it, honestly.