Often times we watched MTV or VH1 specials and the camera person follows this celebrity recording artist as
they take a tour through their recording studios, and we always see this guy sitting behind the huge board of
lights and knobs, who never seems to get introduced. There’s something mysterious about that guy! Why is he
not being introduced? He’s obviously there for a reason, right?
Well, that guy is the recording engineer. So I Am Entertainment Magazine went on a hunt to find one of these
mystery men, and our search led us to Grammy Nominated Engineer, Vernon “V-Diddy” Mungo. In our interview
with V-Diddy, we learned a great deal about how hits are made.
IAE: First, tell us where you’re from and what it was like growing up there?
VM: I am originally from Brooklyn, NY, but both my parents are from the island of Trinidad. I enjoyed growing up
in BK (Brooklyn) during the 80’s, and wouldn’t trade it for the world. NYC during that time was a lot more gritty
and grimy than it is today. It was the early years of the hip hop culture, from which I have fond memories of
staying up late on Friday and Saturday nights listening to mix shows on the radio and taping them on my boom
box. Oh, and I can’t forget about the graffiti trains, break dancing, and furry Kangol hats (laughs). Grandmaster
Flash, Run DMC, Kurtis Blow, Doug E Fresh and Slick Rick, and the whole Roxanne series. Since I lived in the
Flatbush section of Brooklyn, which is a predominantly West Indian area, I was always exposed to Calypso and
Soca music (which originated in Trinidad). It was a great time in my life.
IAE: What got you interested in having a career in audio engineering and what school did you attend
to learn the art?
VM: I got into engineering completely by divine intervention. Early on, I knew I wanted to do something in music
but didn’t know what. Since I wasn’t a singer, producer, or songwriter, and had never heard of an engineer at
the time, I was at a loss on what I wanted to do for a career. So, after high school I went to Georgia Tech (in
Atlanta) to major in computer science and with a minor in music. During my 2nd year at Tech, I learned about
Georgia State’s ‘Music Industry Program,’ and read about record engineering. I knew right then that being a
recording engineer was what I wanted to do. To me, it was the perfect blend of technology and creativity, so in
my 3rd year I transferred to GA State University to major in music with an emphasis in production/engineering.
IAE: What does an audio engineer do?
VM: An engineer is the technical ear in a recording studio session. As a recording engineer, I am responsible
for capturing the performance and crafting the recording to meet the producer and artist’s vision. It is
comparable to a cameraman in film. The director and actor work together and form a vision for a scene and it’s
the cameraman’s responsibility to capture that vision on film. Same thing with the recording engineer in a music
studio. The producer and artist work together to form their vision of how they want a song to sound, and my job
as the recording engineer is to capture that vision on tape. When done correctly, the artist should be inspired
by what they hear, and when they are inspired it makes my job easier (laughs).
In the case where I am the mix engineer, it is my job to bring all the final taped parts together by balancing and
enhancing the sound of the song(s) using EQ and effects. Basically, the mix engineer puts the final touches on
the painting (song) and takes it to another level. Bear in mind that sometimes the mix engineer is not the same
engineer who recorded the song, which is why I distinguished between the mix engineer and the recording
engineer.
IAE: What was your first job in the music business and how did you get that job?
VM: My first job in this business was an internship at DARP Studios in Atlanta. DARP is owned by super-
producer, Dallas Austin. I started as an intern in the summer of 1995 and worked for FREE for about a year,
before I was offered a position as an assistant engineer. I was hired to be the assistant to mix engineer, Alvin
Speights (Google him). Working at DARP, both as an intern and an assistant, was a great experience for me
because it was considered the best studio in ATL to work at. From day one I was around some of the top artists,
producers, and engineers in the business. For example, my first day there as an intern I got to meet George
Clinton (of Parliament and Funkadelic)!
IAE: How did you get the name “V-Diddy?”
VM: I actually got that name from Letoya Luckett (formerly of Destiny’s Child). It was in 2002, after she had left
Destiny’s Child and initially started working on her solo album. I was engineering for producer Daron Jones (of
112) and we were working with her for a couple of days, so one day for whatever reason she called me V-
Diddy. Daron thought it was hilarious, and the name stuck. That was almost 8 years ago, and to this day Daron
still calls me that. Now everyone in ATL knows me as V-Diddy.
IAE: You’ve work on a myriad of major label projects, can you tell us about your most memorable
experience?
VM: I have a few memorable projects. The first being the TLC Fanmail project. I worked on majority of that
album as an assistant, but that was the project that made me realize it was time to stop assisting and start lead
engineering. Those mix sessions were huge and intense and I learned alot. I was given quite a bit of
responsibilities.
The second most memorable project was 112’s “Hot & Wet” album. This was the first time I was in charge for the
engineer ing of an entire project. I was honored to have been asked to record that entire album and be “in
charge” of all the files.
The third one for me is when I got to work with Lionel Richie. He is a legend and I grew up listening to his music,
so I was in awe, and loved just sitting in the room and listen to him tell these great stories about his
experiences. He’s a great narrator, but that was to be expected since he’s such an amazing writer.
IAE: How important is it for audio engineers to understand the business aspect of music?
VM: It is very important. We all want to be creative and artistic, but this is a business. Big business!!! Never
forget that!
IAE: Do engineers need managers and why, or why not?
VM: I think we do. I have a great manager by the name of Kim Smith. In the music business, managers help
promote you to potential clients, as well as help you find new opportunities. My managers negotiates my rate
and handles my billing and collection so I dont have that stress. It’s good to have someone out there fighting on
your behalf and looking out for your best interest.
IAE: What is the most difficult thing about maintaining a career as an audio engineer?
VM: If you love what you do there isn't anything difficult. Like any other profession/career there are challenges
but you embrace those challenges and do your best to overcome them. I love my career! Its hard for me to
imagine doing anything else.
IAE: What other aspects of entertainment are you looking to get into?
VM: I am interested in getting into audio for film and television. That looks like it can be fun and challenging.
IAE: If you could change one thing about the music business what would it be and why?
VM: The music; it all sounds the same. It seems like everyone wants to do Pop music, so there’s no diversity on
the radio. Artists from every genre are doing Pop songs because that’s what their being told sells. When an
artist does that, they’re compromising who they are in exchange for fame. I just wish the business would get out
of the way of the artists and let them make great music from the heart so that there’s something for everyone,
not just Pop fans.
IAE: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
VM: In the next 5 years I see myself being known as one of the top mix engineers in the country. Heck...world!!!
Gotta think big (laughs).
they take a tour through their recording studios, and we always see this guy sitting behind the huge board of
lights and knobs, who never seems to get introduced. There’s something mysterious about that guy! Why is he
not being introduced? He’s obviously there for a reason, right?
Well, that guy is the recording engineer. So I Am Entertainment Magazine went on a hunt to find one of these
mystery men, and our search led us to Grammy Nominated Engineer, Vernon “V-Diddy” Mungo. In our interview
with V-Diddy, we learned a great deal about how hits are made.
IAE: First, tell us where you’re from and what it was like growing up there?
VM: I am originally from Brooklyn, NY, but both my parents are from the island of Trinidad. I enjoyed growing up
in BK (Brooklyn) during the 80’s, and wouldn’t trade it for the world. NYC during that time was a lot more gritty
and grimy than it is today. It was the early years of the hip hop culture, from which I have fond memories of
staying up late on Friday and Saturday nights listening to mix shows on the radio and taping them on my boom
box. Oh, and I can’t forget about the graffiti trains, break dancing, and furry Kangol hats (laughs). Grandmaster
Flash, Run DMC, Kurtis Blow, Doug E Fresh and Slick Rick, and the whole Roxanne series. Since I lived in the
Flatbush section of Brooklyn, which is a predominantly West Indian area, I was always exposed to Calypso and
Soca music (which originated in Trinidad). It was a great time in my life.
IAE: What got you interested in having a career in audio engineering and what school did you attend
to learn the art?
VM: I got into engineering completely by divine intervention. Early on, I knew I wanted to do something in music
but didn’t know what. Since I wasn’t a singer, producer, or songwriter, and had never heard of an engineer at
the time, I was at a loss on what I wanted to do for a career. So, after high school I went to Georgia Tech (in
Atlanta) to major in computer science and with a minor in music. During my 2nd year at Tech, I learned about
Georgia State’s ‘Music Industry Program,’ and read about record engineering. I knew right then that being a
recording engineer was what I wanted to do. To me, it was the perfect blend of technology and creativity, so in
my 3rd year I transferred to GA State University to major in music with an emphasis in production/engineering.
IAE: What does an audio engineer do?
VM: An engineer is the technical ear in a recording studio session. As a recording engineer, I am responsible
for capturing the performance and crafting the recording to meet the producer and artist’s vision. It is
comparable to a cameraman in film. The director and actor work together and form a vision for a scene and it’s
the cameraman’s responsibility to capture that vision on film. Same thing with the recording engineer in a music
studio. The producer and artist work together to form their vision of how they want a song to sound, and my job
as the recording engineer is to capture that vision on tape. When done correctly, the artist should be inspired
by what they hear, and when they are inspired it makes my job easier (laughs).
In the case where I am the mix engineer, it is my job to bring all the final taped parts together by balancing and
enhancing the sound of the song(s) using EQ and effects. Basically, the mix engineer puts the final touches on
the painting (song) and takes it to another level. Bear in mind that sometimes the mix engineer is not the same
engineer who recorded the song, which is why I distinguished between the mix engineer and the recording
engineer.
IAE: What was your first job in the music business and how did you get that job?
VM: My first job in this business was an internship at DARP Studios in Atlanta. DARP is owned by super-
producer, Dallas Austin. I started as an intern in the summer of 1995 and worked for FREE for about a year,
before I was offered a position as an assistant engineer. I was hired to be the assistant to mix engineer, Alvin
Speights (Google him). Working at DARP, both as an intern and an assistant, was a great experience for me
because it was considered the best studio in ATL to work at. From day one I was around some of the top artists,
producers, and engineers in the business. For example, my first day there as an intern I got to meet George
Clinton (of Parliament and Funkadelic)!
IAE: How did you get the name “V-Diddy?”
VM: I actually got that name from Letoya Luckett (formerly of Destiny’s Child). It was in 2002, after she had left
Destiny’s Child and initially started working on her solo album. I was engineering for producer Daron Jones (of
112) and we were working with her for a couple of days, so one day for whatever reason she called me V-
Diddy. Daron thought it was hilarious, and the name stuck. That was almost 8 years ago, and to this day Daron
still calls me that. Now everyone in ATL knows me as V-Diddy.
IAE: You’ve work on a myriad of major label projects, can you tell us about your most memorable
experience?
VM: I have a few memorable projects. The first being the TLC Fanmail project. I worked on majority of that
album as an assistant, but that was the project that made me realize it was time to stop assisting and start lead
engineering. Those mix sessions were huge and intense and I learned alot. I was given quite a bit of
responsibilities.
The second most memorable project was 112’s “Hot & Wet” album. This was the first time I was in charge for the
engineer ing of an entire project. I was honored to have been asked to record that entire album and be “in
charge” of all the files.
The third one for me is when I got to work with Lionel Richie. He is a legend and I grew up listening to his music,
so I was in awe, and loved just sitting in the room and listen to him tell these great stories about his
experiences. He’s a great narrator, but that was to be expected since he’s such an amazing writer.
IAE: How important is it for audio engineers to understand the business aspect of music?
VM: It is very important. We all want to be creative and artistic, but this is a business. Big business!!! Never
forget that!
IAE: Do engineers need managers and why, or why not?
VM: I think we do. I have a great manager by the name of Kim Smith. In the music business, managers help
promote you to potential clients, as well as help you find new opportunities. My managers negotiates my rate
and handles my billing and collection so I dont have that stress. It’s good to have someone out there fighting on
your behalf and looking out for your best interest.
IAE: What is the most difficult thing about maintaining a career as an audio engineer?
VM: If you love what you do there isn't anything difficult. Like any other profession/career there are challenges
but you embrace those challenges and do your best to overcome them. I love my career! Its hard for me to
imagine doing anything else.
IAE: What other aspects of entertainment are you looking to get into?
VM: I am interested in getting into audio for film and television. That looks like it can be fun and challenging.
IAE: If you could change one thing about the music business what would it be and why?
VM: The music; it all sounds the same. It seems like everyone wants to do Pop music, so there’s no diversity on
the radio. Artists from every genre are doing Pop songs because that’s what their being told sells. When an
artist does that, they’re compromising who they are in exchange for fame. I just wish the business would get out
of the way of the artists and let them make great music from the heart so that there’s something for everyone,
not just Pop fans.
IAE: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
VM: In the next 5 years I see myself being known as one of the top mix engineers in the country. Heck...world!!!
Gotta think big (laughs).
Volume 1, Issue 2 |
| Vernon 'VDiddy' Mungo - Recording & Mix Engineer |
The Audio Engineer who mans the boards for chart topping hit makers
| Vernon 'VDiddy' Mungo |
Copyright © 2009-2011 I Am Entertainment Magazine, a publication of NFluential Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
| IAE is published by |
| About us |
| I Am Entertainment Magazine |
| Advertising |
| Connect with us |
| Contact us |
| Want to purchase the PDF or 3-D format of this issue? CLICK HERE to make your purchase! |
| FOLLOW US: |
