Here's what we did. I went on IG Live and asked the viewers to drop their phone numbers in the comments. Atlas and I called them to answer their questions and give advice on so many different topics. The beginning of your journey has to start with believing in yourself. That creates the confidence to go out and network, find up and coming artists to collaborate with, not waiting for the perfect time to release music. There is no such thing as the perfect time and everything, especially in the mu...
Oct 19, 2018•1 hr 22 min
Special guest TRILOGY speaks on producing the viral hit, "Get The Strap" with Uncle Murda, 50 Cent, 6ix9ine & Casanova and getting it featured on the show Power. There's no such thing as an overnight success. Trilogy started producing in 2006, grinding and building relationships that's paid off in recent times. The producer community, and the music industry in general, has changed so much since then. He speaks on how he's adapted to it over the years and now more than ever, embracing collabo...
Oct 05, 2018•1 hr 22 min
Welcome back our special guest SEVN THOMAS for a second episode with us! Appreciate him for taking the time out of his busy schedule to chop it up. We discuss his recent successes with Rihanna, Travis Scott, Lil Wayne and more. He gives great advice on how to manifest and execute your goals and how that mentality got him to where he is today. He also gives a stamp of approval for young producers to grind, sell beats and do whatever you gotta do because he's surprised at how many major artists re...
Sep 28, 2018•1 hr 39 min
I’m always inspired by stories of people who were able to climb out of extreme low points to eventually reach success. When you hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up. From extreme life difficulty only a few years ago, to now having produced Bodak Yellow and I Like It for Cardi B & so much more. He gives great advice on betting everything on what you believe in and the universe will pay you back. Listen to his full story on the risks he took and the decisions he made to be in the position...
Sep 21, 2018•1 hr 8 min
After the devastating news of Mac Miller’s passing, I talk about the importance of mental health and how social media has evolved to effect it. What was once a silly platform to post and share with your friends is now something that you can build an entire business around. For many of us creatives, we share with the world our most vulnerable work, our art. We guide you on how to navigate through the negative and hateful comments. And I encourage you to stop and think again before commenting some...
Sep 14, 2018•1 hr 15 min
What's the difference between working with a rapper and a singer? If I'm a music producer or an audio engineer, do I know the difference between the two? Chances are, you don't. Both worlds are completely different in their own way. If you've only worked with rappers in the studio, you've got a lot to learn when it comes to working with singers/songwriters. Some say working with rappers is easy because it's just verses and adlibs. With singers, you're stacking harmonies, coming up with melodies ...
Aug 31, 2018•1 hr 20 min
So this is what we did. We put a tweet out the day before recording this episode saying "meet us at the podcast studio". 62 people showed up. It was nuts. They asked questions and we answered. Someone even busted a freestyle over an unreleased Illmind beat. Lots and lots of gems here and lots of laughs. We also spoke about Travis Scott's "Astroworld" album and how it's likely to leave a long lasting impact. One of my favorite episodes to date.
Aug 10, 2018•1 hr 35 min
The world of music production requires skills similar to any entrepreneur of today. The successful ones usually become their own boss. No one to report to (except the IRS lol). You get what you put in. We spoke about some basic philosophies to keep in mind during your journey as an aspiring musician. Whether you're a music producer, artist, engineer or all of the above, these are some of the fundamentals that will help guide you along the way. Oh, and BLAP OR CRAP is back of course!
Jul 27, 2018•1 hr 12 min
This might be one of our most informative episodes to date. We talked about various ways to generate income when FIRST STARTING to make beats and become a music producer. How much $ should you charge for your beats? Should you work for free? Should you do both? When is a good time to start increasing your prices? Our special guest for this episode was Lamont Graves who specializes in consulting music producers on what MUSIC PUBLISHING is, some best practices and how music producers can properly ...
Jul 21, 2018•1 hr 25 min
I met Mike Kuz when I was working with Slaughterhouse (Royce da 5'9", Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz & Crooked I for those living under a rock) back in 2013. He was an assistant engineer at Just Blaze's old studio. I didn't know he produced music as well. I just thought he was a great engineer from my experience working with him during those sessions. I remember later being in the studio with Wale and he needed an engineer. I recommended Mike to Wale and they ended up working together. From there, ...
Jul 13, 2018•54 min
There's so much I can say about Wayno. Some people know him as the official co-host of Complex's "Everyday Struggle". Some know him as the guy who helped kick start Dave East's career. Some knew him from the early Rocafella days, or his company "Triangle Offense" (artist + production management, amongst other things). Outspoken, honest and will always keep it 100. One of my favorite and most genuine people in the industry. Lots of gems here you don't want to miss.
Jul 06, 2018•1 hr 13 min
As music producers, we strive to eventually get to that point where we feel like we have our own "signature sound". Like, The Neptunes. Like, Timbaland, Like, Dr. Dre. Like, Metro Boomin'. The list goes on. So what does one have to do to achieve a signature sound as a music creator? We also discuss the current landscape of music and how important of a role music producers play.
Jun 15, 2018•1 hr 9 min
In this episode we each tell our own unique stories on several moments where we set a goal and went out to achieve that goal. Whether it was trying to land a placement on a major album, or wanting to meet someone we admire. Going out of your way to try new things can alter the pathway to your future. We also chose our current favorite VST or PLUG-IN and why we love using it. Of course the hilarity ensues throughout. This episode was lit!
Jun 08, 2018•1 hr 12 min
We back baby (after a 3 week hiatus) and we had the honor to have a LEGEND join us! His name is Prince Paul. The guy who used to hang out with Rza and ODB in the 80's before Wu-Tang became world renowned. The guy who started as a DJ in Stetsasonic. The guy who produced on De La Soul's "3 Feet High And Rising" classic album. The guy who did "Handsome Boy Modeling School" with Dan The Automator (one of !llmind's favorite albums of all time). We can go on forever. Oh, and his son is Lil Uzi Vert's ...
Jun 01, 2018•1 hr 7 min
Music producers need managers. Some don't need them early in their careers when they're first starting out. But eventually, you'll need an extra hand when things get too overwhelming. The real question is: When is it time to find a good manager? Also, where do I find a manager and how do I know if they're good or not? Will a manager help get me major label "placements"? We had an inspiring conversation about all of this. Illmind's friend (who works with Akon) surprised us with a phone call too. ...
May 04, 2018•1 hr 14 min
In this episode we speak about a multitude of things - Knowing when to "shoot your shot", taking chances as a music producer, why sliding in the DM's could actually prove to be effective sometimes + we chose 2 fans at random to be our guests on the show. Both are up-coming music producers who listen to our show religiously + actually apply some of the stuff we say in real life, yielding some great results. They also brought empenadas, chocolate covered strawberries for Perfection and amazing gif...
Apr 27, 2018•1 hr 23 min
It's always so fascinating when you try to dissect that golden moment for an up-coming music producer when their life changes in an instant. This very moment just happened recently with producer Koncept P. Having produced "Kooda" & "Rondo" for Tekashi 69, things are now just starting to really roll. We spoke about the grind leading up to both life changing records, what life is like now and what's coming in the future.
Apr 20, 2018•1 hr 17 min
What happens after you produce one of the biggest summer anthems of 2017? Life changes in an instant. That's what happened to production trio "1Mind" after they produced French Montana's hit "Unforgettable" featuring Swae Lee. We spoke to them about how that track came about, what the grind was like to reach that point & the sacrifices that were made.
Apr 06, 2018•1 hr 29 min
From 90's classics that went platinum (Boot Camp Clik, Heltah Skeltah, etc), to modern classics that went platinum (Young M.A. "Ooh") we spoke to the genius behind the scenes - CEO & Co-Founder of Duck Down Records. Lots of jewels dropped, like how to maneuver in today's music industry climate, the importance of social media, creating a direct relationship with the artist to get more placements & so much more. With 20+ years in the game, there's so much perspective here that we can all l...
Mar 23, 2018•1 hr 17 min
There's no formula to reaching success in the music industry, but there are certain common denominators that contribute to people who are successful. They know why they're doing it. They are in tune with themselves. They are in tune with their craft. Oh, and we also debate on if smoking too much weed can be a positive or a negative, and why. This was a special conversation. Illmind + Atlas The Plug + Perfection + GLAM talking their sh*t.
Mar 16, 2018•1 hr 40 min
He goes by the name of Parks. He's an engineer for the stars (Slaughterhouse, Prhyme 1 & 2 (Royce Da 5'9" + Dj Premiere) & more) a music producer & part of the JOE BUDDEN PODCAST (yes, they actually film and record it at his crib). This was a fun episode. Lots of jokes. Lots of gems. Def want to listen to this if you're curious about audio engineering & how to go about approaching the business. This episode was heartfelt. Well, they're always heartfelt. You will cry tears of joy ...
Mar 02, 2018•1 hr 30 min
Illmind went on a rant and dropped some major gems on how to get more placements. It's something we all want as music producers. Here's a quick and dirty stream of consciousness on some things you can do NOW to increase your odds of getting closer to that first song placement.
Feb 23, 2018•23 min
Buckwild produced "I Got A Story To Tell" for the Notorious B.I.G. What else is there to say? That's just one record amongst a SLEW of legendary records this man has produced. We had an in depth conversation about how the music producer hustle was in the 90's, compared to the hustle now, why the internet is a gift and a curse and the importance of going back to true "artist development" to push the sound of hip-hop. Also, what a perfect time to drop this episode a day after the death anniversary...
Feb 16, 2018•1 hr 50 min
Buddah Bless this beat!! The tag might be new to you, but my man has been putting in work for a long time. Seems like lately we've heard this tag everywhere. Well, it's because Buddah has had a hell of a run so far. Having produced records for Migos, Drake & so many more, Buddah has risen up the ranks in the ever competitive ATL producer scene. We spoke about his early beginnings playing organ in church, to Timbaland shouting him out and how he's managed to stay hungry, sharp and innovative ...
Feb 09, 2018•1 hr 30 min
You don't want no problems with me!! - Chance The Rapper - In this episode we interview the production duo geniuses behind the track "No Problem" that won a Grammy last year and is probably Chance's biggest hit to date. From the early days grinding as musicians in NYC, to getting discovered on Soundcloud and Chance The Rapper replying to a tweet, we dig into the story of how this amazingly talented group rose to stardom. What's life like for a touring production crew and how do you balance produ...
Feb 02, 2018•1 hr 26 min
In this special episode, we celebrate the release of Dave East's brand new album "Paranoia 2" with 3 of the music producers who contributed a bulk of the production on the project (oh and Illmind produced a song on that project as well, so technically we have 4 producers here lol). What an inspiring conversation. From Buda & Grandz's early days of grinding with Dave East and having to split $10 each in the studio to get some food, to now seeing the fruits of their labor. Also, newcomer JoeJo...
Jan 26, 2018•1 hr 39 min
Jay-Z "Dead Presidents" "Feelin' It", Camp Lo "Luchini", Curren$y's "Pilot Talk" projects. What do these all have in common. This gentleman named SKIBEATZ produced all of those records. We had an amazing conversation about his start in North Carolina, sampling records on the vintage SP-1200 beat machine (less than 4 seconds of sample time, can you imagine!?), his extensive work with Dame Dash during the Creative Control days (the birth of Curren$y, Wiz Khalifa + more), to his now obsession with ...
Jan 19, 2018•1 hr 31 min
Perfect way to kick the new year off. Our 60th episode with the one and only Statik Selektah. We spoke about his early come up as a DJ, transitioning into a producer and how he's utilized the power of confidence, work ethic and hustle to rise to the top of his game, now signed to Roc Nation. Who has Statik not worked with? The guy is an animal. If you're a music creator on the come up, this episode has too many gems that you don't want to miss. Also, Youtube "production tutorial" master BusyWork...
Jan 12, 2018•1 hr 22 min
One of the best strategies to follow. Just put the work in. I know that sounds cliche'. Do it. And stay connected with the people around you that inspire you. This Illmind rant is a must listen for all music creators.
Jan 05, 2018•21 min
Man, what a crazy year. 2017 had a SLEW of moments we will never forget. In this episode, we wrap up by choosing some of our favorite music producers, beats, songs, favorite new VSTS and DRUM KITS etc with our own "Best Of" lists for 2017. Our good friend Cameron "Chef" Pasquale also joins in on the fun (he produced "KMT" with Drake & Giggs and was a previous guest on our show - for those living under a damn rock lol). Cheers to 2018 and beyond!
Dec 29, 2017•1 hr 33 min
