What was your upbringing like?

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I grew up with my parents always listening to rock music. My dad wanted me to play guitar, but I always had more of an ear for drums. He really wanted me to be a guitar player, like him. I was like “Nah, I like to play drums.” My uncle was like, “Yeah, that’s cool, then we can all jam together.” They play guitar, I play drums. I was playing my uncle’s drums until I got a Pearl [drum set] in my early teens. It was an all-black Pearl. I played at school functions and stuff. Talent shows.

Was your dad in a band?

No. He always had a passion for music and always wanted to do something in music, but just never had the opportunity to do it. When he saw me being able to do what I wanted to do, he was all for it and believed in me. One of the only people in my life to believe in me from jump.

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When did you start making beats?

I started producing when I was 17. I went to a high school called Fort Eerie Secondary School. It’s kind of not that nice of a school. I started to focus on music at the end of high school, so I didn’t even want to graduate. But my mom wanted me to graduate, so I did.

How’d you learn to produce?

Some friends of mine showed me FruityLoops and I started clicking away. And then I just stayed home a lot of that summer. Just learning. I pretty much completely taught myself. I was gonna make beats for a friend that was freestyling, and I wanted to make some beats for some upcoming rappers in Toronto as well.

Were you exclusively working on FruityLoops?

I had an electric drum set. But right after I got FL [Studio] on my own computer, I sold my pair of electric drums. I went to Guitar Center and traded it in for an AKAI MPK49 keyboard,so I could start making beats with the piano. And eventually got KRK Speakers. I had my first placement three months into producing, with Soulja Boy.

Did you look to Toronto for inspiration as you were getting started?

Some of my friends were telling me that I should be waiting until I get better, and trying to build up artists in Toronto. At the time, I was like, “I’m not gonna really wait.” I’m 18. I’m just gonna go to Chicago and get work with the Chief Keefs and go out and build my name in America off of social networks and stuff. Cause I knew that’s how I get bigger faster than just sitting at home. When I started five years ago, Lex Luger was really big, and Southside. Toronto wasn’t that poppin’ at the time.

How’d you go about making a name for yourself in America?

I went to Chicago and tried to get big in the drill scene. With GBE, Lil Durk, all those guys. Then I wanted to get my music into Atlanta. Found these guys the Migos on the internet before they blew up. Started sending beats to Skippa Da Flippa. He started showing them my beats. From there, they started liking the stuff, and they blew up. They started flying me out and I started living with them, around 2012, 2013. Going on the road with them. That’s how we built our good relationship that we have now. I’m glad that we still have that close bond. Now, I can help them in ways and they can still help me in ways.

