Haas G (of UMC’s): Fantom of the Beat

This episode of Gems with Shom features Haas G, aka Fantom of the Beat, the legendary producer, MC, and one half of the hip-hop group UMC’s. Haas G and Shom get into his early years coming up in Staten Island, forming UMC’s, beat digging, and creating classic records like “Blue Cheese” and “One to Grow On” from the Fruits of Nature album. Haas also breaks down his journey from rapper and producer to becoming a two-time Grammy-nominated, Billboard, RIAA Double Platinum and Gold-certified hitmaker. The conversation explores Staten Island’s early hip-hop foundation, the connection between UMC’s and the Wu-Tang era, producing Ghostface Killah and Raekwon’s “Apollo Kids,” creating Lil’ Kim and 50 Cent’s massive hit “Magic Stick,” and working with artists like Busta Rhymes, Inspectah Deck, Sadat X, and more. 🎙 In this episode, we dive into: • The rise of UMC’s and their place in hip-hop • Producing “Apollo Kids” for Ghostface Killah and “Magic Stick” for Lil’ Kim feat. 50 Cent • Sampling, beat digging, production equipment, and the evolution from hardware to Logic • Haas G’s legacy as Fantom of the Beat and his perspective on evolution in sound • Staten Island hip-hop before and around the Wu-Tang movement For fans of sample-based production, beat digging, Wu-Tang history, UMC’s, Lil’ Kim, 50 Cent, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Busta Rhymes, and deep hip-hop culture, this is a real gem. Hashtags: #HaasG #FantomOfTheBeat #UMCs #GemsWithShom #HipHopProducer #BeatDigging #WuTang #GhostfaceKillah #Raekwon #MagicStick #LilKim #50Cent #ApolloKids