araabMuzik Talks Producing The Diplomats' "Salute"

Happy that Dipset is back together? Find out about the producer of their reunion song.

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Complex Original

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When The Diplomats were one of the hottest crews in rap, they were backed by the production of The Heatmakerz. For the Dips' comeback, the production of 19-year-old Abraham "araabMuzik" Orellana will probably play a big role. Since the Dominican/Guatemalan producer met Dukedagod in 2006, he has been racking up hood classics, lacing Cam'ron and Vado with heat for "Ric Flair," "Pop Off," and "I Used Get It In Ohio." But none of the songs the Rhode Island native has produced means more to New York than "Salute," which features Cam'ron, Jim Jones, and Juelz Santana back together again. Although araab's been busy producing records for T.I.'s King Uncaged, Cam's Killa Season 2, and Capone-N-Noreaga's The War Report 2, Complex got him on the phone to talk about the reunion song that has everyone excited.

LISTEN: The Diplomats "Salute" (2010)

Interview by Toshitaka Kondo

Complex: How did you find out about The Diplomats reunion?

araabMuzik: I had been hearing about it over the Net. People had been saying that Jim had apologized. Miss Info was saying stuff about them reuniting and making music. There wasn't nothing for me to say cause that's not even stuff to bring up like, "Oh, he talking to Jim again?"

Complex: When did you make the beat for "Salute"?

araabMuzik: A month ago. Those beats were new, fresh out. Ten minutes I got that done.

Complex: Are there any samples in that?

araabMuzik: Nah.

Complex: How did you find out about "Salute"?

araabMuzik: I got a lot of texts and emails of people wondering if I did "Salute." But I hadn't heard it, 'cause it wasn't on no website. It wasn't even on YouTube. So I'm like, I don't even know, I gotta hear it. So that's when a friend of mine had sent me the song off the radio that he recorded, 'cause Flex was playing that song back like crazy. That's when I was like, "Oh shit, they used that joint?!" I was surprised cause I didn't think they were gonna use that type of beat. I had played that beat at Jim's studio a few weeks ago for him. That was the fourth beat I played. I had gave him the beat, but I didn't think nothing of it. Cam already had that beat in his email before Jim. Cam was like, "Alright fuck it kid, I guess I'll just do the hook and a quick verse on it." And then ever since then, Jim's been hooked. He's always been calling Cam or Duke up to bring me back over there to play some more shit.

Complex: Has Cam or Duke told you if "Salute" is going to be a single for The Diplomats' album?

araabMuzik: I got the call from Cam maybe last month telling me that he needed a Diplomat single and saying that they were all working on a single. So I guess this joint is now the single, 'cause all three of them are on it. I'm not sure if that joint is gonna be on the album.

Complex: I saw you had a picture of your Diplomats tattoo on your MySpace. Are you signed to Diplomats?

araabMuzik: Nah. But I got that done last April. It's not even about me. It's more than music. We were always fam since day one.

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