in 2007, hit-boy Jennifer Lopez sold the beat for the song “Forever”. He recalls the sale as his first sale at a professional level, but also the moment he felt “in the game” and ready to “turn up”. Nearly 16 years later, the makers have done exactly that.
Despite moments of financial mayhem, the hit-boy ruled the 2010s by collecting production credits (and awards) alongside some of the hottest names in the industry. were talking: jay zee, Kanye West, Mary J Blige, Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Travis Scott, Rihanna, Kelly Rowland, Ariana Grande, Big Sean, Nipsey Hussle, And Nas – to name a few.
Until Hit-Boy joins The Shade Room editor Cassandra Santiago for a virtual interview on day one black music month, she is a household name. He credits the song “N****s In Paris” with getting him where he is now — the three-time Grammy winner is still selling beats from his early days. Fun Fact: Beyoncé’s “Thick” was the Beat of 2014.
Hit-Boy is more than a producer, he’s an artist
Hit-Boy’s years of hard work in the studio have earned him what he calls his “cheat code”. Now, he’s applying all that information to his music-making. Yes, he’s still producing for cemented and rising giants, but also for himself.
More than a beat maker and song surgeon, the Hit-Boy is also an artist. He touched a mic in front of the board, but learning to assemble tracks informed his renewed focus on rapping.
“It’s nothing new, I’ve been [making music] When I was 13, but the beats were so fun to me that I just loved it. And also… I feel like if I was just rapping full time, who knows what would have happened? But my build, I’ve got a lot more longevity, a lot more relationships I’ve been able to build and gain people’s trust and respect,” Hit-Boy said. “So I feel like I’m glad the production stuff stopped earlier. Done because now I can produce hell by myself. I can make myself sound as good as I want to sound.
Only halfway through 2023, Hit-Boy has released two projects, teased a sequel, and dropped more than a few singles. The first project was a Musik Soulchild The collab named “Victim and Villain”. The second was a solo project called ‘Surf or Drown’. It introduces Hit-Boy’s father, big hit,
In our nearly 30-minute interview, Big Hit spent most of the time entertaining Hit-Boy’s baby son, Chauncey Hollis III, He spoke only when spoken to, listening intently to the key points of his son’s rise to the top.
When asked, Big Hit mentioned feeling “devastated” at being snubbed from his son’s ascent in the industry. He was reportedly sentenced to 12 years for a hit-and-run incident in 2012.
Nine years after he first walked in, Big Hit was released in May and made headlines for how he and Hit-Boy bee-lined in the studio. He spent hours there, even returning the next day. Big Hit compares the feeling of recording with his son again to losing his virginity.
“It’s like having sex for the first time again. It’s like I’ve been waiting on him,” said Big Hit. “That’s what drove me away. It was just like the area I had — in bliss.
By the end of May, Hit-Boy and Big Hit released their first song collab in years, “Reckless & Ratchet.” The track is meant to tease the “Surf or Drown” sequel, expected this month. At least four music videos have followed this cheesy track.
Surf or Drown 2 Loading… “Reckless & Ratchet” video released featuring my dad’s big hit pic.twitter.com/sRfqfyhnni
– Hit-Boy (@Hit_Boy) May 29, 2023
Big Hit talks about being a fan of his son’s work and newly adopted grandpa duties
Now that he is out, Big Hit also plans to release an album executive produced by Hit-Boy. A documentary is in the works, and he anticipates a clothing and jewelry line. Except himself, the fellow rapper hasn’t been shy about being a fan of his son’s career.
“… I have been a fan. I knew he was always in it. He just needed to push past it and just recognize who he was internally. Do an introspection – it has to be brought out of that. It’s like a lion in the jungle, you take him out, raise him. He doesn’t really know he’s a killer until you put him back in that environment.
Meanwhile, the hit-boy credits his father for inspiring him during his down time, from his exercise to studio habits. The makers call the time together “a fine balance”. And his three-year-old is also loving getting to know his grandfather.
“They’ve been around each other for three weeks, and he’s three, and it’s like they’ve been around each other the whole time. It’s the wildest thing ever. He even wants to be with me now.” Doesn’t want to. He wakes up at 7:30 in the morning – the first thing he says is, ‘Where’s my grandpa?’ He doesn’t say anything else, then he gets up, goes upstairs and kicks with his grandpa.
For Big Hit, time with his son and grandson has been heaven-sent.
“It’s a blessing. I foresaw it, and I just prayed about it, manifested it, spoke it, and brought it into existence. I see it every day when I see it.” , I see when I see him,” he said, pointing to Hit-Boy and Chauncey III. “It’s all over again, it’s a repeat, it’s a superstar in the making.”
Just before Father’s Day, Big-Hit says he hopes to pass on his father’s faith to Chauncey in the same way that he has adopted it.
To the music, Hit-Boy wakes up daily looking for ways to “level up” his skills. His goal is to continue making timeless music on board and on the mic.
“… everything I’m doing has gotten me to this place where my respect level is just different and it’s not even like me making a top-charting, number one record. It’s just stuff that Hits home and really like a moment versus standing the test of time.