Living a dream with producer Hanz

In just a short while Hannington Tactiq aka Hanz has been able to transform his dream and passion into a living reality. He is a simple guy who tends to do complex things.

When you first hear the name Hanz, your memory journeys adrift across the Atlantic to America; dream works studios where another Hanz Zimmer heads the music division. The latter has been a music producer at dream works for over three decades and has produced sound tracks for some of the finest pictures like lion king, gladiator,pirates of the Caribbean series, da vinci code and most recently, inception. Surely when it comes to music, the name Hanz carries loads of connotations.

This was all i was thinking the day i was to meet Ugandan renown music producer Hannington tactiq alias producer Hanz.

A one modest, frail and energetic youngster, Hanz started producing beats while still at campus round about 2005. He had and has always had a talent; very swift on the key board, many folks would frequent his room to make beats. At the time he was just a free lancer and little did he know or ever envision a near future where his name would be as a house hold name on the lips of nearly every one. He at the time never sought payment from the people he produced for; his was more like a modest favor and once in a while, who ever appreciated the good work would toss him a penny or so. Indeed; “cast thy bread upon the waters for many days to come, it shall come back to you!” This seems to have been the maxim behind this guy's head, For today, he is widely celebrated and it follows almost naturally that the money comes along too.

While at school, Hanz had always dreamed to be a soft ware engineer but his love for music would eventually sluice him through into the industry. Consequently, this young gifted producer pursued a career in production (recording and audio engineering). At this point it could have been sufficiently assumed that Hanz was near waist deep in the industry as he made his maiden debut in the specialty of music production. But his big break was yet to come.

The sail was as expected not smooth at the start and Hanz did not see any open window until after he opened his own recording studio in Makyindye, a Kampala suburb. This was shortly after he had left campus.

But how and where did Hanz get the money to buy studio equipment at such an early time?

To that question, he smirks, then a shy and cunning short lived grin (as always) and then he reveals; “while at school, i was working and i also used to save my pocket money. That is how i got the money” but of course the cost of studio equipment is way more expensive that all the pocket money that an average Hanz (while at school) could have ever had! But i chose to ignore that fact instead pretended to be satisfied and some what dismayed at his reply.

After opening his studio, Hanz saw what he could call his first big break, as then, he was able to get an identity and he started to work with lots of people on loads of projects. He has produced beats for the sleak-est modern day Ugandan artistes; rabadaba, gnl, toniks, the list is endless. The question thence would be; why or what is special about his beats and what style is his?

“my style is Hanz Style” he boasts. “This is because i make a fuse of almost any or all sounds to come up with something exotic but also indigenous to appeal to a wider fan base”. He adds. Hanz makes beats off the key board, he can also synchronize with contemporary sounds from the guitar and Adungu.

“People approach me with an idea or just lyrics and i accordingly decide the right beat; a heavy beat for a dance hall jam and a smoother one for a love song,” Hanz explains. Some times the beats are custom made where someone orders for a specific beat. In that case, the challenge would be to come up with something closets to what the client wants

sounds a busy guy, uh? In a minute; this young enthusiast whose inspiration ranges from Steve jean, Silver kyagulanyi, Dr. Dre and swizz beats wakes up every morning to remind himself of the day's work, appointments, meetings etc. after a prayer and breakfast, he heads out to the studio where he spends the rest of his day. Over the weekend, he will go out only if asked by his friends as he is not the party freak type. He prefers his space in order to think. Everyday, the belief and hope within himself in his potential to reach heights is what drives him. He will one day sure reach the top. Indeed he is a simple guy who tends to do complex things, as he argues.

The path for any producer is no walk in the park. Hanz too presents among his biggest challenges, the complexity of coming up with something new and getting people to appreciate and love the new style. Also the fact that Ugandan law is not strict with copy right means that people make money off him without his knowledge. He would otherwise be flying in a jet. The law has to be reformed to protect some of these buds in the industry. His biggest achievement is having the musicians for whom and with whom he has worked gain recognition. Like Rabadaba, GNL. Vicariously, that is a score for him as well and no doubt he too gets the recognition.

So now, knowing relatively a lot about about producer Hanz, the next question should be; what has he contributed to the industry especially hip hop that we should miss him should he abruptly quit. I presented the challenge to him. "Should i quit, there will sure be left a big gap as i have been the custodian and example of a fighting spirit and determination to create new ideas and get people to love the idea. I am no doubt a source of inspiration and an example”

whether the above claim is true, i leave to you our audience to decide.