Jewel, John Hiatt, Tech N9ne, Korn, the Insane Clown Posse, Nappy Roots, Ice Cube — they've all walked through the doors of Kansas City's Chapman Studios to lay down a track or two while passing through, or, in Tech N9ne's case, coming back home. Owner Chuck Chapman started out 35 years ago, recording rock, but he made a conscious — and economic — decision to work on all types of music. For one thing, it keeps things interesting. "If you're only a rock joint or jazz joint or rap joint, it gets boring," Chapman says. "By being a facility that staffs and equips itself in such a way that you can kind of attract everybody, you know, we find that fun." The studio also specializes in voice-over recording. William Shatner, who does commercial voice work, uses Chapman to record. "When he walks in, we know he likes this kind of wine, he likes this kind of cigar, and whatever you do, don't talk to him about Star Trek," Chapman says. "Since he first came in, we've worked about four or five times, and he treats me like we've been buddies for years. We treat everyone the same, William Shatner or a local rap guy who's just getting started." Making a record doesn't just require them to be engineers, he says. "We've gotta be cheerleaders, psychologists, brothers and sisters, and teammates to every client. We're making records for them. We're not making records for us."
