Hit-Boy

Friday, February 14, 2020

Watch Hit-Boy Explain How He Made Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Backseat Freestyle’

Producer Hit-Boy recently sat down with Genius for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Kendrick Lamar‘s “Backseat Freestyle.”

Though not a top-ten Billboard hit, Hit-Boy notes in the video that the energy of the track still leads to moments that are “too epic.” He highlights the way that the sing-along hooks ride over the track’s scattershot percussion as particularly impressive.

Hit-Boy’s three-year stint in the G.O.O.D. Music camp yielded top-ten Billboard chart productions like Kanye West and Jay-Z collaborations “N**gas In Paris” and “Clique.” Working with Kendrick Lamar in 2013, the Los Angeles-native producer notes in the clip that he felt a brotherhood with Compton-bred K. Dot, making the collaborative process relatively simple. He takes us through the production layers that comprise the track, showing a deceptively simple brilliance to Lamar’s bell-ringing, sing-along club anthem.

Watch the making of “Backseat Freestyle” above.

Related Post: Watch The Producers of Roddy Ricch’s ‘The Box’ Explain How They Made The Track

| Videos
Genius, Hit-Boy, Kendrick Lamar, Music Production,
Friday, July 24, 2015

Hit-Boy on ‘Pensado’s Place’

Hit-Boy
 
Pensado’s Place is on a roll. Following their episode with DJ Mustard two weeks ago, the show is back with another heavyweight hip-hop producer, Hit-Boy.
 
A California native, Hit-Boy is best-known for co-producing Kanye West and Jay Z’s “N#ggas in Paris,” Kanye West, Jay Z, and Big Sean’s “Clique,” and Lil Wayne and Eminem’s “Drop the World,” all of which have been certified platinum or higher. He also co-produced Beyonce’s “Flawless,” Drake’s “Trophies,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle,” among others.
 
Aside from all the production knowledge, one of the best things about Pensado’s Place is that it shows the personal side of producers and their journeys. The conversations are also almost always inspirational and Hit-Boy’s is no exception.
 
Watch Hit-Boy’s half-hour interview below.
 

 
Topics covered:
 
Starting out on Myspace and with Polow da Don ~ 10:46
Maintaining relationships ~ 14:19
How “N#ggas in Paris” came about ~ 16:49
Handling success at a young age ~ 18:00
Helping his father ~ 18:47
Getting started with new songs ~ 21:22
Embracing imperfections and mistakes ~ 22:10
Using Kontakt and Maschine ~ 22:54
Choosing kicks, snares, and other sounds ~ 23:58
His influences ~ 25:40
What it takes to make a hit these days ~ 26:45
Working with Travis Scott ~ 27:39
Overcoming writer’s block ~ 29:15
Balancing being an artist and a producer ~ 30:23
Producing “Goldie” for A$AP Rocky ~ 31:10
Not being worried about making hits ~ 31:50
The pickiest artist he’s ever worked with ~ 32:31
 
Related: DJ Mustard Talks All Things Production

| Music Industry, Music Tech, Videos
Hit-Boy, Music Production, Pensado's Place,
Thursday, March 27, 2014

Hit-Boy: From Struggling Producer to Grammy-winner

California’s Hit-Boy aka Chauncey Hollis is best known for producing Kanye West and JAY Z’s “N#ggas in Paris,” Kanye’s “Clique” and will.i.am’s “Scream & Shout.” Building on his previous success, the California-based producer and rapper is now prepping a forthcoming collaboration project “We the Plug” in addition to his debut solo album.
 
It wasn’t an easy path to success for Hit-Boy though. In a new video from All Def Digital, the Grammy-winning producer shares his story of struggle and triumph which many up-and-coming artists will find inspiring. He also describes the vision behind his Interscope-affiliated label HS87 and what to expect from him in the future.
 

 
Related: Hit-Boy Talks Jay-Z’s “Magna Carta Holy Grail”

| Music Industry, Videos
Hit-Boy,

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