This Rhode Islander is on the Verge of Making It Big in Music
Friday, April 28, 2023
East Providence native Joel DePina comes from musical roots.
Now, he is on a path to forge a career making beats, a form of music production that almost entirely uses digital tools to create a final piece of music.
DePina, who currently resides in Pawtucket, boasts nearly 28,000 followers on Instagram, where he posts his original arrangements almost daily.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAnd it was on social media where he said he got noticed for his work by Hollywood director Jason Strickland.
DePina's music is featured in Strickland's documentary “2nd Unit: Invisible Action Stars,” which “goes behind the scenes and allows some of the biggest names in Hollywood to show why the men and women of second unit are the unsung heroes of the film industry.”
Stars in the documentary include Keanu Reeves, Mark Wahlberg, and James Cameron.
“Strickland reached out and asked if I did my own beats,” said DePina, who said he ultimately did the intro, some music in the middle, and the end credits for the documentary.
“To this day I’m a sample-based artist, whether it’s '60s progressive rock or ‘80s elevator music,” DePina told GoLocal. “I have records from Russia and all over the place. But lately, however, I’ve been making my own, with virtual instruments.”
DePina, who works at Pawtucket Country Club during the day, said that is “just his job.”
“It pays the bills,” laughed DePina. “I call music my career.”
From East Providence’s Cape Verdean Music Scene — to Movies and More
“My father played Cape Verdean music. He was in a band,” said DePina of growing up in East Providence. “I got into instruments. He always wanted me to play real instruments, but I then got into hip-hop. My mom got me a turntable.”
DePina cites such early influences as Run DMC and New Edition.
“One of my best friends, Ricky Lopes — DJ Infinite — he had a real-deal set up. Originally, I wanted to be a rapper,” said DePina, who graduated from East Providence High School. “But then listened to the instrumentals, and realized I could do the beats.”
So DePina, who “had a couple of kids young,” moved out to Taunton, and honed his craft.
“The first drum break I sampled was Isaac Hayes. I looped it and I thought I made a hit,” said DePina, who said he used an Akai MPC 2000, the “God” of beat making.
“I still use Akai products. I wish it was a full-time business,” said DePina, now back in Rhode Island.
DePina said he composes “nearly 90%” of his own original music, as he says that as technology caught up with copyright law, he and other beat creators could no longer sample top musicians’ work.
“Ideally, I’d like to get into video games and TV,” said DePina. “I’d really like to score a movie. I understand them not wanting to use samples.”
For DePina, making music now with this oldest son in the studio is his greatest gift.
“The music keeps you young. We’ve got the greys, but I’m still 22 in the studio,” laughed DePina. “Music is such a universal thing. You relate to people.”
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