INTERVIEW: Drake's Assistant Engineer Noel Cadastre talks w/ The Come Up Show

hyperadmin | Interviews,Music | Friday, November 4th, 2011

The Come Up Show’s Geoffrey Granka drops a dope interview with Drake’s assistant engineer Noel Cadastre.

Noel Cadastre gets happier the harder he works. He crossed paths with Aubrey Graham and Noah Shebib while working at a recording studio in Mississauga. He was the only one willing to work an awkwardly scheduled late shift. Nobody who knew Noel would be surprised he was willing to work a last minute shift. Just as nobody can be all that surprised that he was then asked to go on the road with Drake and 40 to help finish what would become Thank Me Later. A couple million international sales later, he’s very happy these days.

Noel sat down with The Come Up Show to geek about studio gear, the upcoming Take Care, and offer insight to working with one of the biggest artists of the decade so far.

TCUS: How did it work out that you would start working with 40 outside of Metalworks Studios? What records have you been involved in since?

NC: Well the short form is: When Drake was recording Thank Me Later they were running out of time because his tour dates were starting. They still had four unfinished songs, two days before our last session before the tour… they asked me if I would go out on tour for two weeks to help 40 finish the album. Obviously I [agreed], took two weeks vacation from Metalworks and went.

Noel’s two weeks became three and his vacation became permanent after being invited on board by 40.

TCUS: What takes up most of your working hours?‬

NC: Assisting in the studio for recording and production, working with the label, management and the rest of the team to facilitate the recording process when we’re on the road. I am considered first and foremost to be Noah Shebib’s assistant. He is really who I work for. In his absence I am Drake’s recording engineer. We are the only two people who record his music‬.

Noel would go on to assist with most of Thank Me Later, Lil Wayne’s “I’m Not a Human Being”, Rihanna’s “What’s My Name”, Alicia Keys “Unthinkable (Remix”, Jamie Foxx’s “Fall for Your Type”, Rick Ross “Made Men”, Chris Brown’s “Deuces (Remix)”. I’ve been in the studio with Lenny Kravitz, Florence from Florence and the Machine, Rihanna and the list goes on.

TCUS: Not a bad year, eh?

NC: It has been pretty good so far.

TCUS: A lot of people are interested in or get involved in the music because of the perceived enjoyability of the entertainment business. What got you into music and why did you keep at it? Is it still fun?

NC: I got into the music because of music. Nothing more, nothing less. I love music end of story. [There is] no other motivation, it will always be fun as long as I love music. I believe everything else is as a result of that love and passion; everything else comes after the love‬.

TCUS: Do you ever have to remind yourself how awesome your job is when it gets tricky? ProTools crashes and deadlines… etc.

NC: Never. I’m a strange person. I thrive on being challenged, I shine in what some people consider the worst situations I love fixing shit that seems unfixable!

TCUS: Do you consider yourself as part of the production team?  Are you technical or creative or both?‬

NC: I consider myself apart of the team period. I’m definitely tech support more so than anything else but it goes beyond that. To make music the way 40 and Drake make music, everything comes into play.

TCUS: How do you mean?

NC: [Everything] from the temperature in the room, to who’s in the room. In some ways I just assume the responsibility of being the assistant facilitator/protector of their creative process and that’s just something I try to do but was never asked. I try to pay attention to the things that they both enjoy in the studio and just make sure that no matter what city we’re in I can provide them with a similar creative environment that we enjoy at home in Toronto.

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