New York, NY (September 22, 2023)—Hank Shocklee has been announced as a keynote speaker, in conversation with Prince Charles Alexander, at the AES NY 2023 Convention, scheduled to be held at The Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City from October 25-27, 2023.
This year’s convention celebrates AES’s 75th anniversary and will highlight the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. Shocklee, a pioneer in the world of music production, sound design and composition, will share his remarkable journey during his keynote address.
Bursting onto the music scene during the formative years of hip-hop, Shocklee’s impact can be traced back to his groundbreaking work with Public Enemy, where he revolutionized the genre through sampling techniques that reshaped the musical landscape. His influence has extended beyond hip-hop, collaborating with an array of musical icons and contributing to an impressive list of film projects, including Ridley Scott’s American Gangster, Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing and Ernest Dickerson’s Juice.
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In addition to his music industry accolades, Shocklee boasts a diverse portfolio that includes a 2013 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a 2018 Grammy Hall of Fame induction, a 2004 induction into the National Recording Registry at the U.S. Library of Congress, and recognition as a 2021 inductee into the Consumer Technology (CT) Hall of Fame. His compositions have graced the soundtracks of numerous films, from Do the Right Thing to Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and beyond.
Shocklee played a pivotal role in elevating the art of sampling, which is now a part of mainstream culture. His techniques, including filtering, micro-loop sampling and the use of sine waves to create kick drums and bass lines, continue to resonate throughout the music industry.
Prince Charles Alexander, a Grammy Award-winning producer and engineer, will lead the conversation with Shocklee. Alexander is a multi-platinum, three-time Grammy-winning music producer and audio engineer that has worked with Mary J. Blige, Puff Daddy, The Notorious B.I.G, Aretha Franklin, Sting and many others. A Professor of Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music, New York University and Northeastern University, he authored Hip-Hop Production: Inside the Beats in 2022, is a member of the Grammy Committee’s Black Music Collective, a Governor in the Audio Engineering Society and is a longstanding member of the NYC Musician’s Union Local 902.
