There’s a lot of European producers working with American rappers now. What was your sound like before your DMV era?
I feel like I was one of the first producers working with Americans, to be honest. Back in the day, I was more Atlanta-focused, working with artists like 10K Dunkin and Slimesito. I was really into the Lil B and Soulja Boy era, so when I was a teenager I did stuff with AGoff, and he even had me join his group SGod. Then Keef came around and I mimicked that; I was really just copying whatever they did in America.
So what was your entry way into the DMV as an artist?
I fell in love with how their music was grimy but still fun. That’s how I grew up: I seen dark things but always had fun. So, at first, in 2018 or 2019, I was emailing rappers that was big at the time, like Q da Fool and Baby Fifty, but they never responded. So I didn’t take it serious until years later when I followed YoungFootSolider and he followed me back. He wasn’t big yet, but I DMed him, “yo,” and he said, “yo” back, and I was telling my friends, “Oh shit, this DMV nigga responded to me.” My friends told me to call him, and he was in the studio like, “Send beats,” so I did. He rapped over one of them, and I used that to show other rappers. After that came JG Wardy’s “Hurry Ya Hoe Ass Up” and then Skino’s “Smack Em.” So I started uploading type beats to my YouTube. Then everything went up.
Did all of that lead to Slimegetem’s “Mashallah I Cooked Him”? That’s probably your signature song so far, right?
That song was really manifested. He spoke to me everyday before he blew up. He was telling me to make a Slimegetem type beat, but I didn’t understand because he didn’t have nothing out. But he was telling me all the time, “When I get out of jail I’m gon’ turn up on your beats, bro.” Then he came out of jail and really did it. I really like that song because it gave me the power to believe in myself. I feel like now, in the Netherlands, they respect me more. They take me more serious. It’s not delusional belief.
I feel like you have a go-to drum pattern on most of your DMV tracks. Is that repetition boring for you?
No, I’m trying to be consistent with my sound. Because before I was doing everything, UK drill, New York drill, afrobeats, but once you find something that works you might as well stick to it. If you listen to everyone’s favorite producers, like Southside or Zaytoven, they always have the same drums on their beats. I think that’s the fact of being a successful producer, being recognized immediately.
Does it feel surreal to be able to go on YouTube everyday and there’s a new song of a DMV rapper on your beats?
I’m not going to lie, bro. It doesn’t even feel real because I’ve never even been to America. I’m still living the same life I did before. I’m in a process to get a visa right now but it’s hard.
What’s the hardest part?
It’s the whole process; they want a lot of evidence that you’re somebody special for the American community, so I’m trying to prove that. Normally, you can get an ESTA [visa waiver] and you can travel to America for 90 days, but that has been denied. Now I’m trying to get an artists’ visa, so maybe once you write this article I can show it to the American Embassy. Then I can finally go to the DMV.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
