Photo: Cam Kirk
The producer game is one that is just as dynamic and ever-changing as anything else in hip-hop. For a while now, one name that has stood out on the frontline is Metro Boomin. Originally from St. Louis, Metro has become one of the go-to producers on the hip-hop scene and grown to be one of the best young producers in the industry thanks to his trunk rattling sounds. He put a stamp on the game in his own way when he dropped his highly-acclaimed mixtape 19 & Boomin last year and showed that he has what it takes to be in the business for a very long time.
We were lucky enough to chat with Metro recently and got to speak with him about everything going on in his life. He spoke on producing Future‘s single, “I Won,” featuring Kanye West, getting a nod on YG’s album, My Krazy Life, his experience at SXSW, his goals for this upcoming year and a whole lot more.
Check out the entire interview with Metro Boomin after the jump.
OS REWIND: Metro Thuggin – The B Language
OS REWIND:Young Scooter – Disfunction (feat. Young Thug, Future & Juicy J) [prod. x Metro Boomin]
How did the “I Won” collaboration with Future and Kanye West come together?
It was actually the last song we did together on Honest. It was made the night that Doe B died. RIP. We were recording over a beat I had already made, but at the end of the session I took the vocals and the beat home and reworked everything. It’s a classic Ye verse.
Tell us about your collaboration with YG, “1 AM.”
1 AM was actually for [ScHoolboy] Q at first. I made it with him in mind and it ended up with YG. The reception of how much people like the record is amazing. It was all me, no samples, no nothing.
What about “The B Language” with you and Young Thug?
Honorable C-Note came up with the idea of remixing it, but it wasn’t ’til later that we actually did it and I changed the beat up. I knew Thug would come in and do his thing with it. Even though this is a remake, I want music, really hip-hop, to get back to the remixes, like making the whole new song. I feel like those remixes where you take the same beat and hook and everything and add new verses is boring, that’s terrible, I hate that shit. It’s just like… ok.
How was it working with A-Trak & Lex Luger and the Low Pros movement?
The whole Low Pros thing, A-Trak and Lex. From my understanding, he had reached out to Lex and put the whole electronic and dirty rap shit together. Just do it authentically, instead of just one side doing both roles. That is how we made “Jack Tripper.
We did some songs, that “Jack Tripper” came from Atlanta sessions. That’s when I first met A-Trak. We were in the studio three days. Three days locked in. Then me him Lex and somebody else signed to Fools Gold, High Classified, we all just flew to Chicago, and we recorded some Chicago songs. Q, Durk, Fredo, we got some crazy shit. He told me we gotta go to LA next and do some Low Pros sessions.
What are some goals you have heading towards the future?
Man, I’m trying to focus on what I’ve been focused on lately. I still make a lot of beats…. branding myself. Taking so many Instagram pictures and doing this and doing that. I definitely want to put out another 19 & Boomin sequel kinda thing, but I don’t wanna put that out until the same time I did last year. Make it a whole year’s time. Now, I can say I got something coming up soon with somebody, that will hold people off in-between.
I was so nervous about that (19 & Boomin), I had good expectations for it, but I’m just happy it exceeded my expectations for that, because I just want people to understand and appreciate what was put into it. It wasn’t like a bunch of songs, I had sessions everyday. All those songs were recorded for that project. It wasn’t like I just grabbed a bunch of shit I had out, which is nothing wrong with that. I want to make a point and show people, show labels, and just show people that I know how to put a good project together.
How do your collaborations with artists usually happen?
You might just bump into something, something like South by, you might bump into somebody. A long time ago when I was younger, I always rocked with Lil B and his music, he is a genius. For example at SXSW I bumped into him, and he had just text me right before you had called.
Who are some artists that you haven’t worked with yet that you want to work with?
Man, Cam’ron, well the Kanye shit is knocked out. Normally with this question I would say JAY Z & Kanye, because that is the typical answer. I mean that’s the typical answer, that’s why I don’t like to give that answer, even though you know I would love to work with em some more. Got some more shit with Ye probably on the way, it’s looking like it. Definitely Cam’ron man, I grew up a big Dipset fan.
What was your experience like at SXSW this year?
I did a couple of things. I already knew I was gonna be on stage for Low Pros thing, but that same day, I got off the plane and Future was like, ‘I’m gonna bring you out for my set and spin’. He knows how I am in the studio, cus he knows me, I’m always dancing and turning up, so I guess that influenced his decision. He had a long set, when he brought me out on “Honest.” I thought it was just gonna be for like a couple of songs, but he had me out there for like an hour. It still turned up and had a good time. That was real highlight. The Low Pros show was a highlight. Brought Thug out and nobody knew about it. It was crazy, he did “Jack Tripper,” “Danny Glover,” and “Some More.”
Should we expect more from you and Lil Wayne?
Well, Wayne was on “Karate Chop,” but I definitely want to do some new shit with him. Of course, me and Thug we the same generation so, our whole generation, we look at Lil Wayne in a whole another light. No question, all those “Drought 3” years, those were like our prime years. That’s everything, that’s like our Tupac, our Biggie.