We not too long ago caught up with producer Guitar Boy for an interview on Instagram Stay. Throughout our dialog, we talked about his work on a brand new 112 undertaking, his beginnings working with R. Kelly, getting the chance to work with Trey Songz, co-producing with Danja, and what he’s at the moment engaged on.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Speak about a number of the work you’ve been doing with 112.
Guitar Boy: We’ve been in throughout the quarantine working and grinding. I’ve really been kidnapped at my boy Slim’s crib! *Laughs* He has a recording studio in his crib, so I’ve been figuring out of there. It’s simply so unimaginable to be working with them. Simply that legacy alone is unimaginable. I don’t take any of my blessings as a right, the decision come from God. I attempt to hold him first in all the pieces I do. Simply to verify individuals can really feel it and simply contact the world by music. Slim is simply such an unimaginable vocalist. I’m used to working with singers who use auto tune. With him, I wouldn’t even put auto tune. I get spoiled when working with him. He’s such an unimaginable human being as effectively. Good power, we vibe. Even on his final solo file, I used to be blessed to get three joints on there.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Let’s take it again to the start. You’ve been placing in work for a few years. You began out working with R. Kelly? That’s a tremendous story.
Guitar Boy: Even earlier than R. Kelly, I began within the church, I used to be a church musician. I discovered to play drums, organ, piano, guitar, bass, no matter it was. So I began doing studio classes from there. However after faculty and grad faculty, I moved to Chicago, and it went proper again to church. How I met R. Kelly was on a basketball court docket. He requested me if I knew the right way to play the field, and what he meant by field was acoustic. I informed him I might do it. He invited me to the studio and there have been children working round. It turned out it was B2K! They had been little children working round on the time. Tyrese was there, so it was actually wonderful. He had simply completed making “The Better of Each Worlds” with Jay-Z. I got here in on the again finish of that.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You finally labored on his “TP-Three Reloaded” album proper?
Guitar Boy: Yea, in order that got here out after I used to be there for 2 years. He labored on it proper after “TP-2”. He went on tour proper after that album and there was a hiatus. So really my first file I acquired positioned was with Twista and Do or Die known as “Hit Til the Morning”. I used to be simply within the studio and R. Kelly mentioned to simply have enjoyable. I performed round on the observe. They had been recording all the pieces. I used to be excited. So it began from that.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What was your function when working with R. Kelly? Everyone knows him as a artistic genius.
Guitar Boy: Once I first acquired there, I used to be the brand new child on the block. Kendall was already there, and he was the spear head of “TP-2”. Me and him used to play at church collectively. At the moment we had cassette tapes and a dictaphone. We’d file concepts and take them to the studio. It was each methods. R. Kelly would are available in and hum the concepts, however he cherished the guitar. A number of the concepts would begin on the guitar. Shout out to Donnie Lyle, he was already his musical director once I was there. If you’re new, you don’t need to step on toes. So R. Kelly would sneak me there at evening, I might come into the studio, and lay elements down. In order that when Donnie got here again, he would surprise who it was. R. Kelly had me changing elements of songs. After Donnie acquired to know me, he noticed I used to be real and able to work. So we grew to become good pals. R. Kelly would spearhead a number of concepts. We’d all get into the studio and it was nearly like church rehearsal, simply get in there and gig, vibe out on some vibes. The engineer would file all the pieces. R. Kelly would simply begin buzzing one thing and we’d vibe to the melody of what he was doing. Then he’d simply go away and we’d be working. When he’d come again, we’d have laid the verse and hook. We’re all from the church, in order that’s why a number of the manufacturing gave the impression of church music.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Give us a second once you witnessed R. Kelly’s genius.
Guitar Boy: I keep in mind engaged on “TP-Three”. I had simply did a file known as “Distant Management”. They had been taking part in me the file, and I assumed it sounded unimaginable. I constructed up the observe, and I didn’t hear it till after he laid his vocals. He let me paved the way on that track. It was unimaginable. I got here again to the studio and I noticed him gown nearly like a personality, and that’s the place “Trapped within the Closet” began. He was these completely different characters within the room. It was unimaginable. That changed into an entire motion. In order that was my expertise of seeing that come into play and switch right into a film. He acquired into characters and performed these elements.
YouKnowIGotSoul: After R. Kelly, you linked up with Trey Songz. Take us to that.
Guitar Boy: Yea so this was round 2008 once I left the Chocolate Manufacturing facility. I kinda wished to department off by myself, it was some variations we had been having. I felt prefer it was time to maneuver on to develop into the producer that I’m studying to develop into. I wished extra artistic management. I made a decision to take a leap of religion and begin my very own factor. Once I left the Chocolate Manufacturing facility, I acquired a placement with Jennifer Hudson. I had already met a bunch of producers. I keep in mind assembly Polow Da Don and we did the remix of Ciara’s “Promise”. Shifting to Atlanta was a religion transfer. When me and my supervisor acquired right here, we hit the bottom working. I met Troy Taylor, who had been working with Trey Songz. I known as him and went over to his crib. I got here in and performed some tracks. It simply sparked an entire relationship. Troy Taylor is my brother for all times, he opened the door for me. That’s how we created the songs for Trey Songz: “Neighbors Know My Title”, “Panty Droppa”, “Yo Aspect of the Mattress”.
YouKnowIGotSoul: We’re simply celebrating the truth that Trey’s “Anticipation” mixtape lastly hit streaming companies. You probably did “It Would Be You” and “Yo Aspect of the Mattress”. What do you keep in mind about creating these?
Guitar Boy: That was unimaginable. “It Would Be You”, after I constructed the observe, I’d come again to the studio, and Trey had really recorded himself. They don’t even want an engineer. It was like a film. Day by day we’d create a observe and I’d come again the subsequent day and the track was written. When he performed me the file, I mentioned “Wow!” Similar with “Yo Aspect of the Mattress”. It actually turned from a mixtape that helped launched the album “Prepared”. That’s how that took place, from that mixtape. I don’t assume we’d have had a “Prepared” album if it wasn’t for “Anticipation”.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What sort of doorways did working with Trey Songz open for you as a producer?
Guitar Boy: Oh man. Shout out to Troy Taylor, he confirmed me a number of love on that album. That album opened up doorways to the place I acquired signed to Warner Bros. That was a giant factor for me. I flied again to L.A. to shut the deal and it opened as much as what we’ve right this moment. Simply assembly so many individuals. I’ve been blessed to be with them for the final 10 years.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You do a number of co-production as effectively. What’s that like?
Guitar Boy: I feel all of it comes again from “The Chocolate Manufacturing facility”. That’s how I labored lots, with simply bouncing off concepts. Within the room there isn’t any ego, we’re there to do one factor, make a single and successful track. A number of the blokes I’ve labored with not too long ago should not producers, they’re beat makers, in order that they don’t know melody or the right way to play an instrument. If you end up in a studio and an artist says play one thing from scratch, you may’t sit there and bang on drums. It’s essential to seize an instrument. I used to be simply used to taking that lead function with the guitar and developing with the chords and progressions of the track. If not, going to the piano and taking part in some melodies. The author or artist themselves would hum lyrics from there. When you get successful track, all people desires to take lead, it’s about ego. But it surely’s actually about to have the ability to work collectively and put your ego to the facet. On the finish of the day, I don’t care who you’re making a observe for, if the artist doesn’t decide the observe, you don’t have anything.
YouKnowIGotSoul: You’ve performed some wonderful work with Danja, on artists like Keisha Cole, Okay. Michelle and Luke James. They’re futuristic forms of data with an R&B really feel.
Guitar Boy: I met Danja by Polow, after they had been down in Miami engaged on Monica and Bando Jonez albums, again in 2014. Working with Danja, this dude is unimaginable. He made me step my drum recreation up. My most unimaginable second is after we labored with Britney Spears, at Tito Jackson’s home. We did some unimaginable vibes there.
YouKnowIGotSoul: Inform us about what you at the moment have occurring.
Guitar Boy: I’ve been engaged on Slim’s solo undertaking and the 112 undertaking. I’ve been working with Blanco Brown as effectively. I’ve been doing an entire bunch of nation stuff as effectively.
YouKnowIGotSoul: What recommendation do you could have for upcoming producers who don’t land placements instantly?
Guitar Boy: I’d say first you need to love what you do, and be affected person. It’s not straightforward, if it was, everybody might do it. The principle factor is to remain humble and keep true to your character. Don’t attempt to be somebody you’re not. That’s the worst factor somebody can do. All the accomplishments imply nothing you probably have a foul spirit. The artists really feel that within the studio. A number of the data I’ve been blessed to be part of is by being a great particular person. A number of the artists I work with I develop into good pals with. I attempt to set up good relationships with artists.