And you thought “giving someone the 3rd degree” was intense?

Welcome to The 9th Degree, a space on the internet where a question is more than a question—it is an examination of realmusic, culture, and society.

ThisIsRealMusic.com has officially partnered with critically acclaimed super-producer and True School Corp executive 9th Wonder to allow readers and fans to go beyond the 3rd degree. It is time for your questions to be answered. Each month, you the T.I.R.M. community, will be able to submit provocative questions (via the space below) to 9th Wonder.

So who is the man? Well, in case you didn’t know…

Producer Extraordinaire
Despite an amicable separation from Little Brother, he is nevertheless the man behind the boards on the group’s classic debut The Listening as well as their other studio LPs. His most notable production credits include a collaboration with Buckshot—Chemistry, a Grammy nod on Mary J. Blige’s Breakthrough, a seminal Nas-remix album called God’s Stepson, tracks on Jay-Z’s Black Album and Destiny Child’s Destiny Fulfilled, and even his own Dream Merchant series. It suffices to say that 9th Wonder has amassed a catalogue and repertoire as diverse as the artists featured on ThisIsRealMusic.com.

Educator
9th Wonder was recently appointed Artist of Residence at North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. There, he teaches a class entitled “Hip Hop in Context” with Christopher “Play” Martin of Kid-N-Play.

Music Savior
During his first sit-down, 9th told T.I.R.M that he is on a mission to preserve “black music”, be it hip-hop, R&B, soul or what we now call Bridge. This makes him an important figure in 21st century music. Many of 9th’s production peers (Madlib, Just Blaze, Kanye, Pete Rock, ?uestlove) might not befit or even have the interest to embark on such a crusade. But 9th would be nothing more than a bleeding heart if it weren’t for his talent. Spend a day listening to his music and it’s likely that it will compel you in a discernible way. An artist with this kind of depth, ambition and gift deserves a podium, hence The 9th Degree.

Ultimately, this space is for you, the T.I.R.M. community. Use it as an opportunity to grill an industry-leading producer who has a phenomenal ear for music and a superior understanding of its cultural significance. Although the interface with 9th may change from month to month your queries will still be answered and the knowledge always abundant.

ThisIsRealMusic.com presents The 9th Degree… the internet’s most inspired and revealing dialogue on real music and culture.