<p>Today’s guest has rewired modern hip-hop. His fingerprints live all over the last decade </p><br><p>but the real story behind that success is far more human, painful, and transformative than the headlines ever show. </p><p>In this conversation, he opens up about the highs and lows of being a producer in hip-hop: the pressure, the politics, the contracts, the moments that nearly broke him, and the breakthroughs that almost didn’t happen. </p><br><p>He also shares the lessons shaped by fatherhood, betrayal, and real perseverance — all while creating some of the most important and culture-defining music of our time. And The Writer Is... Hitboy!</p><br><p> A special thank you to our sponsors... </p><p>Our lead sponsor, NMPA aka the National Music Publisher's Association. Your support means the world to us!</p><p>And @splice -- the best sample library on the market, period. </p><br><p>Chapter list </p><p>0:00 TEASER </p><p>1:20 Ross’ Intro</p><p>2:02 Fatherhood and Being a Full-Time Dad </p><p>5:12 Parenting, Hoops, and What His Son Really Loves </p><p>6:29 The Humbling Reality Check: Kids Don’t Care About Your Hits </p><p>7:29 Growing Up Between Pasadena &amp; San Bernardino </p><p>8:34 Seeing His Uncle’s Success &amp; Wanting to Be on TV </p><p>9:35 Falling in Love With Beat Programming </p><p>10:12 Learning to Write &amp; Rap at 13 </p><p>11:23 Selling His First Beat for $20 at 16 </p><p>12:24 MySpace Era: The Birth of “Hit-Boy” </p><p>13:09 First Major Betrayal: Partner Gets Signed Behind His Back </p><p>15:01 Advice to His Younger Self: Patience &amp; Self-Belief </p><p>15:23 Building Early Industry Relationships Through MySpace </p><p>16:13 First Time Inside a Real Studio (The Underdogs) </p><p>17:39 The Underworld of LA Sessions &amp; A Young Hit-Boy Watching Greats </p><p>18:44 First Major Placement: Jennifer Lopez </p><p>19:06 Providing for His Mom With His First Checks </p><p>19:27 Growing Up Without a Present Father </p><p>20:22 His Dad’s Return &amp; Going on a Run Together </p><p>22:04 How Fatherhood Changed His Time, Focus &amp; Creativity </p><p>23:27 Recording Nas: The Hidden Role People Don’t See </p><p>24:57 Getting His First Publishing Deal (And the 18-Year Lock-In) </p><p>28:02 Staying Current: “I Update My Software Every Day” </p><p>28:21 First Big Hit: Drop The World Lil Wayne &amp; Eminem </p><p>29:47 Why He Used to Clash With Kanye </p><p>32:00 The ‘N*****s in Paris’ Moment (Language Question + Setup) </p><p>33:35 First Song With Kanye: The Christmas Track </p><p>34:12 Making Music With Kanye, Jay-Z &amp; the Good Music Family </p><p>35:40 Hearing 'Paris' for the First Time in the Planetarium </p><p>36:32 Realizing the Song Was Going to Be a Cultural Earthquake </p><p>38:23 Big Sean, Executive Production &amp; Sharpening His Ear </p><p>39:09 How Drake Found the ‘Trophies’ Beat </p><p>39:52 Stripping Beats Down to Let Artists Shine </p><p>40:33 When to Stop Producing: The Minimalism Lesson </p><p>41:38 Depression, Contracts &amp; Losing the Relationship With Drake </p><p>42:57 The Pain of ‘Trophies’ Not Making Drake’s Album </p><p>43:13 What His Publishing Deal Held Him Back From </p><p>44:22 Working From a Place of Fear vs. Freedom </p><p>45:01 Working With Beyoncé (Excellence at Every Level) </p><p>46:22 The Story of ‘THIQUE’: An 8-Year-Old Beat Comes Back to Life </p><p>46:39 Why Old Beats Deserve Second Lives </p><p>47:57 The Making of Sicko Mode &amp; Travis Scott’s Explosion </p><p>48:20 The Greatest Timing Ever: Streaming, Social Media, Travis </p><p>49:00 The Long Journey of Sicko Mode (2016 → 2018) </p><p>50:13 Are Producers Songwriters? The Eternal Debate </p><p>51:30 Nipsey Hussle: Early Sessions &amp; Mutual Respect </p><p>53:53 Nipsey Claims the Song: “I Need This for My Project” </p><br><p>Hosted by Ross Golan </p><p>Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>