Exile loves a good challenge. For his latest album, Radio, he refused to go crate-digging for inspiration and instead pulled every sound—from the drums to the vocals—from Los Angeles radio. These self-imposed restrictions allowed him to explore new boundaries while always keeping it hip-hop.

GIANT: Where did you get the name Exile?

I was a graffiti writer for a while and I wanted my DJ name to be the same. Before Exile, I was DJ Baby Huey. (laughs)

Speaking of DJing, a lot of producers were DJs first, do you still get a chance to DJ?

I still DJ a few times a month.

Do you recall when you knew you wanted to make hip-hop your career?

I remember fantasizing when I was like in junior high on some stupid shit. I’d set up this whole fantasy scenario before I’d start practicing scratching, like I was at a BDP show watching KRS and something happened to his DJ. And then they yelled to the audience like, “Yo, can anybody out there in the audience DJ?” And then I’d get up and I’d start scratching as if I was cutting live on stage with KRS-One. (laughs) I mean, as soon as I knew that I could really do something musical with this hip-hop stuff, I knew I wanted to do it for the rest of my life.

Who are some of your favorite all-time producers?

It’s hard because there’s a line between who influenced me and who are my current favorites. For who influenced me, I’d have to say Marley Marl, Afrika Islam, DJ Pooh. As of now, Madlib, Dilla, Flying Lotus.

How did Radio come about in your mind and how did you proceed to execute it?

I knew I wanted to make an instrumental project and I wanted to have a concept. I’ve sampled off the radio before but I thought, let me get everything off the radio—the drums, everything. Just challenge myself to incorporate all kinds of stuff, like static noises. The high-hats on Radio, they’re actually just static noises sped up, even the snares are just static noises. I just wanted to challenge myself, that was the real reason, and I wanted it to be fun for me.

Radio was released on January 20th.

-Jimmy Ngoweky

Exile Flips Q-Tip “Let’s Ride” – Prod. by J Dilla from Jonathan Kim on Vimeo.

Sometimes it’s cool to just be fueled by the boom-bip without following an MC’s lyrical ride. And these days, so many MCs are making their beats available as the main course. I pulled together some of my favs.

No. 4

Flying Lotus: Los Angeles (Warp)

Recommended if you like J Dilla, Madlib or gettin’ abstract after a righteous bong rip. ‘Nuff said.

Stay tuned to GIANTmag.com for the rest of The 10 Best Albums You Missed in 2008.

Obvious statement: My man Madlib can’t sit still. He just released Sujihno, a collabo with Brazilian drummer Mamão of the band Azymuth, re-imagined the classic Madvillain project with Madvillainy 2, and trumpeted his boy by dedicating his latest Beat Konducta installment, Vol. 5: Dil Cosby Suite, to Jay Dilla. Ok already, time for a vacation. But no, that would be too easy.

Mad’s latest LP, WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip, is released on BBE’s Beat Generation Series, which included Pete Rock, Jay Dee, DJ Spinna, Marley Marl, Jazzy Jeff and King Britt. Word is that Wigflip will be the final installment for Beat Generation. Sad news for those of us who pay attention, but at least they left off on top of the world.

Wigflip‘s beats are premium quality, of course. Always a smoky blend of grit and soul, Madlib’s orchestrations reach beyond your everyday hip-hop ballads for some true jazz spirit. Through the music, he summons you to follow where his mind leads. Like it or not, that is the signature. As usual, Madlib brought along his crew to ground the heady work. On call we have Guilty Simpson—one of my favorite MCs—as well as Talib Kweli, MED, Oh No, Defari, J-Rocc, Frank N Dank, and Murs. The result is a required addition to the library. This is tomorrow’s hip-hop today.

While you’re at it, pick up the newly re-released 2001 Beat Konducta Vol 0: Earth Sounds available exclusively on the Stones Throw store.