Introduction

Ash 0:00

Making beats is so cool because anybody can do it. It's really about just knowing the software. If you master FL Studio, you are going to make great beats. Take a free one and learn it before you dump 200 bucks into the producer edition of FL Studio. 808 Mafia Ash. 808 Mafia Ash!

Eshan 0:19

Went from being the Woodwind section leader in Marching Band? And now he produces under 808 Mafia, the same collective behind Future, Drake, Kanye, Travis Scott. Somewhere in between Marching Band and Trap Beats, he discovered something special. Today we're going to talk about 808 Mafia Act. It's always worth at least a shot. That is the single worst thing you can do. Not ever try. Just start. Your phone's great. How did the 808 Mafia deal come up on you?

Ash 0:44

I met my connection at the Ritz. I parked his car. It was a black Jaguar F -Pace. He gets out saying that he was late for a reservation at the steakhouse. He asked me, he's like, yo, is this just a little summer job for you? I was like, yeah, man, I go to UGA. I want to be a music producer. He was like, oh, I got some connections for you. Let me get your number.

Meeting with Ash

Ash's First Beat Sale

Eshan 1:03

You are listening to Angry Digital, the podcast show to help you build, manage, grow, and scale a thriving and successful brand powered by Angry Digital Inc. I'm your host, Eshan Ravuri. And I'm here today with Ash. 808 Mafia Ash. Our featured guest today went from being the Woodwind section leader in Marching Band and the Rugby Team Captain in high school. And now he produces under 808 Mafia, the same collective behind Future, Drake, Kanye, Travis Scott. Now that's not usually how it goes. That's not usually the natural trajectory. It's not the natural pipeline here. So somewhere in between marching band and trap beats, he discovered something special. And today we're going to talk about 808 Mafia Ash. And welcome to the podcast. Thank you, bro. Thank you for having me on. Of course. Of course. So it's funny because how I met Ash was I asked one of my boys, Sajaad, to help me with a jingle for Ice Dazzle. So we had just signed a contract with Howie Mandel, and I had this video, and he he ends the video with this loud bling! He like throws his arms and he's like bling! So I was like, yo, we have to like come up with some crazy like social media or some hook, but I want to have a jingle to go with that to cut into that. So he comes back to me a couple weeks later, he's like, yo, I'm actually with my boy Ash right now. If you want to pull up. So I've never met Ash. Pull up to this place, and he turns his thing on, right? And I I hear it. The first he's like, What do you think about this? I'd like painted a picture of what I wanted, and it was spot on, like dead on.

Ash 2:55

Literally titled Rough Draft Number One. Like it was the first thing that I had made for that.

Eshan 3:00

Yeah, literally perfect. And I was like, Who are you? Like, who the fuck are you? He's like, Oh yeah, that's like my boy Ash. He's like signed to 808 Mafia. Like, and that was history. One of the coolest people I've ever met. I appreciate it. And yeah, the definitely, definitely talented, incredibly talented producer. So, well, let's get right into it. You're probably wondering how the heck I found out about the Woodwind section.

Ash's Musical Journey

Ash 3:28

Yeah, you know, it that that's a cool little pluck. I I definitely was in band. I I was in all types of band symphonic band, jazz band, marching band, all this. And even came back afterwards a couple years because my band director had asked me to come like run sectionals and do stuff like that for the next year's band, even when I was gone. So I came back and like tutored almost all the other students. Kind of yeah. I was really heavily involved in band, but the switch what got me on to producing instead of playing my instrument is because I didn't necessarily want to go to college for music, like generally, and I knew that UGA really only had a performance majors. Like I could have done a saxophone performance major, but I didn't really want to do that. And I had taken a music technology class in high school as well, and that I I learned how to make beats. That was the whole class. How to make beats? Yeah, how to make what high school did you go to?

Eshan 4:27

Morgan County. Morgan County High School. Yeah. Best production in the state. I guess so. Yeah. Yeah. That's cool, dude. Oh, yeah. Wow.

Ash's Transition to Beat Making

Ash 4:34

So that's how you discovered like that's how I discovered making beats. Wow. And then I watched thousands and thousands of YouTube videos and I ended up getting FL Studio on my own computer at home. Uh-huh. Just years of practicing and amazing. Yeah, really cool. Really cool. Yeah. I loved it. I and that was a cool way for me to keep doing music without having to keep playing my instrument at the same time. Fascinating.

Eshan 5:00

So did they give you FL in school?

Ash 5:05

No, we were using Garage Band. Garage Band. Yeah, Garage Band is where it all started.

Eshan 5:09

So they were Macs. They gave you Macs?

Ash 5:11

Yeah, we we had uh two computer labs. The school had just been recently built. Yeah. Okay. My freshman and sophomore year of high school, I was in my old high school building. It was actually like the same high school since probably like the 30s out there in Madison. And they tore the whole thing down and built a new one behind it. It was where the practice football field was and even behind the stadium and everything. Right. Built a whole new school, and part of getting a new school was two new computer labs full of Macs.

Eshan 5:43

Macs. Yeah. Wow. I love Macs.

Ash 5:46

Yeah. I I'm now that I'm on FL, it's more geared toward Windows.

Eshan 5:49

Yeah, use a Windows computer.

Ash 5:51

Yeah. Not a not well, it's because I use FL 11. I use the old uh not the oldest, but a very old version of FL. Yeah. And that was before Macs were even a thing.

Eshan 6:02

That's crazy. You know, the first DAW I ever used was FL.

Ash 6:06

Oh, really?

Eshan 6:06

Yeah. It was a boot-like version of Fruity Loop Studio. Yeah. Like maybe five or six.

Ash 6:12

Right, right. Yeah. Way past. Yeah. I'm see, I'm on 11, so I wasn't even that old on it, but but I they say the drums slap harder. It's actually controversy. Like no, people people freak out about this stuff. Huge freakouts. I mean, people rage on the internet at each other of which FL is the best. Oh, you're dumb. FL 11 isn't even this like there's no difference. Or is that the dah?

Eshan 6:35

Is that the go-to daw for trap beats?

Ash 6:37

FL 11. It is? Well, FL in general, but FL 11, if you look at like every industry producer, right. FL is the go-to band. Majority for sure.

Eshan 6:48

Yeah. So all y'all on Logic trying to become trap producers, you're out. Hey. Get out.

Ash 6:53

You can still do it though. Joji produces on all his songs on GarageBand. No way. Every song he records produces everything, does it all himself on Garage Band?

The Importance of Just Starting

Eshan 7:02

It's crazy that I've seen. I've worked with some very large YouTubers, and the crazy thing is you can have three million followers, subscribers on YouTube, and they didn't get there using Premiere Pro and an editor, and they learned everything, usually on a bootleg version of Sony Vegas, right? Or something that was, you know, they could do whatever they can get their hands on. And today we have access to Cap Cut. Like there's so many great free editors out there where it's so easy to just get started. So I can't emphasize enough how important it is to just get started. Right. You know, you can't the worst thing that can happen is not getting started. That is the simple single worst thing you can do. Biggest mistake not ever trying. So just start. Your phone's great. Very true, very true. Yeah, your phone's great. It's always worth at least a shot. Yeah, always. So this is the big burning question. How did the 808 Mafia deal come up on you?

How Ash Joined 808 Mafia

Ash 8:05

This is actually a cool story. So I wanted, well, I was in school, right? Freshman year of college at UGA. One of my friends that I had just come to meet right down the hall from me, ninth floor, Creswell. Oh, Krusty Creswell. Oh, yeah. I mean, everybody hates on it, but that's where I met all my friends. I love it. The building itself might not be the best, but the people in it were always awesome. Church hall's the same too. So I met I met this guy, Scrappy. He was rushing a fraternity. I didn't rush a fraternity. One, because I was kind of in the mindset of like, oh, I don't need to pay to make friends here. Like I'm I'm extroverted and social enough to where I can go make friends myself. I don't need to pay uh dues to be able to make friends. But also I just really didn't have that much money either. So you know, maybe that was my self-down.

Eshan 8:58

How expensive is a frat?

Ash 9:00

It depends on which one you're in. The one that I ended up being in was like $1,200 a semester for dues, and then they had senior brother dues. The big ones, I mean, you could pay three to five grand, but it's usually because their formal, like their formal trip is included in the price of their dues. We had to pay dues, and then if we went on any trips or did anything like that, we would pay separate from those dues.

Eshan 9:25

So you were saying, how do we how did you end up getting into wanting to be in a frat?

Ash's Experience with Fraternity

Ash 9:30

Well, I saw Scrap join it and you know was watching him through the pledge process, all that stuff, and he he really loved it. He really loved it, and he kept trying to get me in it. He but he was respectful about it. Hey, look, I know why you're not in one right now, I know why you didn't rush, but like let's say you did have the money. Would you do it? I was like, sure. And at this time he had already gotten into the frat, he was on the rush committee, so he he was low-key rushing me. Like he didn't even, like, I didn't even pick up on it. But yeah, he he offered me a bit. I was like, you know what, sure, let's do it. Well, the problem was my parents were helping pay my tuition, but they said if you do anything outside of that, that's on you.

Eshan 10:12

Yeah.

Ash's Job at the Ritz

Ash 10:12

Well, I didn't have a job, I didn't make any money. I didn't, you know, I committed to this frat thing now. So I was like, you know what? Let me just go get a job. Let me get a job during the summer, I'll figure it out, and then when I get back in, I'll be able to pay dues, go to class, do all that stuff, whatever. So I got a job valeting cars at the Ritz Carleton over the summer. So I got hired seasonally. I worked May, end of May to beginning of August, racked up some money. I mean, it was nice, it was a perfect job for in the summer. And then ended up being able to pay my dues. But during that job in the summer, it's a cool thing working at the Ritz. You know, it's a vacation spot for no way. You so you you met you met a connect at Ritz. I met a Connect through the Ritz. Wow. I parked his car.

Eshan 11:02

I've been wondering like, what is it about the Ritz that holds you down so long?

Ash 11:06

Yeah. I I met my connection at the Ritz. I parked his car. It was a black Jaguar F-pace. Still remember it. He gets out saying that he was late for a reservation at the steakhouse. We got a steakhouse on property and asked me if he could get a golf cart ride to it real quick, just so that he could hop out and go to dinner real quick. Whatever. So I was like, Yeah, sure. He gets out, I get him on the golf cart, and we're taking off over to the steakhouse. And he asked me, he's like, yo, is this just a little summer job for you? I was like, Yeah, man, I go to UGA, I want to be a music producer. He was like, Oh, I got some connections for you. Let me get your number. So I start to give him my number, he gets a phone call, probably from the guy who I later ended up meeting, who was he was meeting at the steakhouse. He gets a phone call. He's like, Hold on, I gotta take this, right? Right in the middle of me giving him his number or my number. So I was like, Oh man, that sucks. He gets off the cart, he's still on the phone, and he he kind of puts the phone away from his ear and he goes, You know, as soon as I get back up, once I'm done with this reservation, I'll get your number from you. We'll we'll trade out contacts. Well, the whole time in my head, I know that I'm about to be off in 15 minutes. Oh, you know, I still remember what car he drives, though. So I rode back up to the front, I grab a sticky note, I write my name and my number and all this stuff on a sticky note, and I go drive down to his car, I pulled his keys, and I stick the sticky note right in the middle of his dashboard, like right on the screen of the radio head, like right in the middle of his thing. And then I went home. And I was like, oh, hopefully, if he leaves, he sees the sticky note and ends up reaching out. Maybe he'll still be there tomorrow when I come to work, right? So I get there tomorrow and I get out on the front drive, I'm starting to work, and I see him come out with some luggage, and he's got his daughter next to him, whatever. And I tell him, I'm like, look, just so you're not surprised by it, you're probably gonna see a sticky note on your dashboard with my name and number and everything. But I figured since I see you right here now, you know, I'll just go ahead and do this in person. And he's like, Oh man, I love that. That shows initiative. This and that. Yeah, I was gonna say, yeah. So we end up trading contacts, and he immediately texts me. At this point, I'm very small, still learning a lot on how to make beats, yeah. Still refining my sound and like everything that comes along with that. But I guess he heard something. I mean, he really like he really was for it, you know, as far as our connection. And he even bought a couple of my beats just to show, I guess, that he was serious. Like, I sent him some beats. Oh, send me some stuff. I sent him some stuff, and then he's like, Oh, what's your cash app? You know, I've got an artist that probably throw these toward. Just let me let me throw you some money for it. Right? It was cool. It showed me that he was serious at the same time that you know we're building this connection. It was it was a cool little moment. That was the first beat I'd really ever sold, too. Like Wow. You know? Wow, that's amazing, dude.

Eshan 14:24

Like, okay. For for those of you listening, I'm just saying take a moment and listen to Ash. Okay, we're gonna put a link to his beats, and we're gonna play it right now. And there's a difference between just a beat pack and one that moves you. Okay. There's no surprise to me that like this guy just heard his beats and were like, I'm gonna cash up you for it, like connect you with Southside or whoever ended up getting you to Southside. Right. Just just to reinstate, this is I I'm not sure if it is the largest, but it it is one of the largest in the world when it comes to producing. Absolutely. Let alone trap beats.

Ash 15:14

I mean, they're top of the game.

Eshan 15:15

They're A tier, A tier. You don't just make it in front of 808 mafia, like not just anybody. So you have to be really gifted. So that's amazing.

The Unexpected Call from Southside

Joining 808 Mafia

Ash 15:27

Yeah. So at this point, I had no idea who his connection was. I just knew that he had told me that he had somebody he wanted to introduce me to. But that introduction never ended up happening for a couple months. At this point, I'm back in school again. I'm playing pool in the frat house. I ended up rushing and joining the frat and everything. It's called Phi Kappa Theta. Okay. Smaller one is but they got the house on Millage. It's it's a cool little thing. They're growing. Yeah. I think when I joined, there were like maybe 50 members. Okay. Now they're at like 120. So like it's it's building. It's cool. It's cool to see that process too. But I was in their frat house playing pool. I get a phone call. It says, you know, oh snap. I haven't talked to him in a while. Answer the phone. He's like, hey, I got somebody who wants to talk to you. Then put me on the phone with who is now my manager, Calvin.

Eshan 16:23

Yeah.

The Wait and The Contract

Ash 16:24

And Calvin's best friend is Southside, but I didn't know this at the time. And so Calvin was like, Oh, I've been put hearing your stuff. I've been pushing it to these artists, this smaller female artist that just hit on the Apple Music trending music page for whatever. Like it was just cool little opportunities. And to this, all this is new to me at this point, so it's all cool. I'm like, oh, this is awesome. This is literally what I want to do. Like, it's I'm starting to see the path forming. You know, I know where I'm supposed to be going. So at this point, a little bit of time goes by, and me and Calvin are still talking. I mean, he's calling me frequently. We're we're talking all the time. I'm still making new stuff all the time. Like he's he's pushing me to make new packs and new loops and just everything, everything. And I get a text from him one day, and I didn't see the text because I was playing FIFA with my roommate, but I saw my phone like light up and I was getting a FaceTime from him. So I didn't see the pre-text. So I answered the FaceTime, and he's like, Hey, I got someone who wants to talk to you. I was like, all right, bet. Put him on the phone.

Eshan 17:38

Sounds like nice of him to like put him on the phone, you know.

Ash 17:40

Like, you know, let's let's see it. Who you got?

Eshan 17:43

Yeah.

The Role of Sajaad in Ash's Journey

The Long Silence and Surprise Contract

Ash 17:44

Flips the phone around is Southside. And you can immediately tell. I mean, all these videos that I'm watching on YouTube on how to learn how to make beats, I mean, countless how to make beats like 808 Mafia, how to make beats like Southside. Wow. Like, and he's got tattoos all over his face, and immediately recognizable. Right. And you know, I grew up listening to Future, and probably 80% of Future's discography is all Southside and all 808 Mafia. You know, I mean, probably from the day I started making beats, in my head, I'm sitting here thinking, oh, how cool would it be to be a part of a label like that? You know, so he turns the phone around and it's Southside, and I'm like, oh shit. Like what? Yo, right. So I I obviously I had to play it cool. So I'm sitting there, what's up, South? You know, like what's going on, man? You know, he's like, oh, I've been hearing your shit. Like, where you located at? I told him I was going to school at UGA. He's like, oh, that's cool. You know, let's tap in, start sending me stuff, whatever. Hangs up the phone. I immediately like I'm sitting there in shock. Start jumping up and down on my bed and shit. Like, I mean, I was like a little kid, bro. Like, so cool. It was the coolest experience. Two weeks later, he introduced me to Smatt. Smatt's been going crazy. He's also signed at Italy Mafia. He's done so many things with Lil Dirk and G Herbo Future, had one on for all the dogs by Drake, like a bunch of stuff that's coming out. He introduced me to him, started sending him loops, and he even had told me, like, oh, if we get a couple placements under our belts like together, Southside's definitely gonna want to sign you. So I was like, okay, cool. You know, let's do it. And literally, probably two more weeks later, he texted me, Yo, I got us a big placement. Can't tell you who it is yet, but the album's coming soon, and like, you know, it's got a crazy feature on it, and all these things. It was really cool. And then ghost. You know, nothing happened. The ghost. Eight months. Eight months down the road. Not a single thing. Eight months, not a text. Not a text, not a call. Didn't follow up. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. You just stay silent. Yeah. And I was reaching out, like, hey, has anybody heard anything about it? Like anything? Nobody was answering me. Why? Nothing. And then out of nowhere, eight months down the road, Calvin calls me. Yo, I'm about to put you in a call with this guy named Tony. He's on the legal team for 808 Mafia. Check your email inbox. There's a contract, like all these things. And come to find out later, it was because Southside was working on a Latina, like a Latin X 808 Mafia collab album. I don't know who the artist was still to this day, but apparently a bunch of my loops had been used. And I guess that was the push to be like, okay, this kid is actually gonna start doing something. Like, let's get him. But yeah, I mean it was really cool process, but I mean this whole thing, like the whole story I just told you spans over probably a year and a half, two years. Wow. So it was it was a process for sure.

Eshan 21:01

That's crazy.

Ash 21:02

But it all came from the Ritz. Dude, they came from the ballet job.

Eshan 21:05

Like it's like they heard something and it's not a question.

Ash 21:07

Right.

The Influence of Music in Ash's Life

Eshan 21:08

Like for me, I wanted to pursue music when I was younger because it's something that came to me effortlessly. Like I was always on a piano. Right. That was my form of stimulation. You know, I it was like my parents would say it was like constant. It would be constant. Like I would be obsessed with like trying to learn one thing obsessed with it. And yeah, it's like my heart beats music, and it's something that I'd always knew like was never gonna be something that's not a part of me. So going into school, like initially I wanted to do production, but ended up doing business. Music business minor, sorry. But now I mean. I realized that I can do business and still have a passion for music and still better myself as a musician. Absolutely. If I were to do music as a career, I feared like I'm gonna lose that passion. Right. So I didn't want to do that. And also because there's two things, you know, I'm the type of person that like I can't work nine to five for somebody else, but I can work nine to nine all the way around the clock 24 hours for myself, right? Even if I'm making a dollar a day.

Ash 22:34

Absolutely.

The Impact of Ash's Music

Eshan 22:34

The only other thing I could do is music where I wouldn't care how much I made, but I would enjoy it. I could die happy. Right. So from somebody who loves music, hearing your production for the first time, I was like, it moves me, like physically moves me. Right. And it doesn't take more than a second to feel that it doesn't happen, like it does it doesn't happen with just anything. So it it was fascinating to see what you did with Sajaad. Because Sajaad, I've I've seen him turn into Sajaad, and his journey, his progress, like he's in the works, right? Grinding, grinding, pro like professional soccer player to pro musician. Right. That journey was long. It started even here, it was right here that we did our first merch shoot. And like he was like, yo, like I want you. Can you help me? I'll pay you, like, whatever. Like, I was like, I mean, I started working with him, and I was like, dude, I'm not taking money from you. Like, the things like I knew he has a journey to go, but the amount of commitment he had in his eye, I was like, he's going to make it whether he likes it or not, with that kind of dedication.

Ash 23:47

For sure.

Eshan 23:48

And he's going to make it.

Ash 23:49

He's one of the more driven people I've ever met in my life.

Collaboration with Sajaad

Eshan 23:52

Oh, yeah. You know, bro, always has a flyer in his back pocket. Yeah, just always has a flyer. Like every single time I see that man, he's putting flyers anywhere I am. We meet at Tate, flyers, flyers, flyers. But we meet uh Atlas, flyers, flyers, flyers, like everywhere. Right. That's like he's a marketing pro. Oh, yeah. I tell him that all the time. He's like, ah nah. And I'm like, yes, dude, you're you're cooking it.

Ash 24:15

I mean, he's got the most commitment to what he wants to do that I've ever seen.

Eshan 24:20

Oh, yeah. It's in his eye. He puts me back in my my place, my laser. Every time I fall off the track, you need people like that to push you back.

Sajaad's Dedication and Influence

Ash 24:27

I always say the same thing. Like, you know, if I'm not feeling like making beats or if I don't really want to do anything, I just got home from work or whatever. You know, he's always, oh, what are you doing? You know, come to come to my place. Let's do something. Let's make something. You know, so he, I mean, his drive starts to drive me just because I'm like, oh, I can't let this guy outrun me. You know, like I have to, you know, he's outworking me right now. I need to match, you know, or you I need to be on my shit because he's so on his, you know, absolutely. He's not gonna stop. Right.

Eshan 25:02

He's relentless. Right. Think about that. He was a pro player for soccer. For sure. I mean, I played soccer for fun, like little baby leagues, right? Right. Then I ran cross-country track up to college. Yeah, didn't run college. But I mean, running at I mean, this our school won state, a few years, two years in a row, like that's a level of competitiveness. Waking up running 70 miles a week, it's not good for you. That's two a day. That's two times a day. Like, it takes discipline. Right. I can't imagine what it's like to play till you're like 25. Oh, yeah. 26. And he did it. He went all the way around the world. He lived in the Netherlands in Amsterdam, multiple places. We had him on the podcast first episode, actually.

Ash 25:51

Oh, that's amazing.

The Power of Music and the 'It' Factor

Eshan 25:52

Yeah, and he, you know, he got Sikkim played at the stadium. At the stadium, yeah. University of Georgia's football team. That was the second song we ever did together. Yes. So I heard Sikkim, and that's when I knew. For the first time, I was like, yo, you need to actually like listen to me, because I mean, he listens to me, but he doesn't he he knows what he's doing, like, really well. He sees the vision and he locks in, but I hear it. I'm like, what whoever produced this song is different. Okay, like he was like, he was just like, yeah, you know, his he's just like, yeah. And I'm like, listen, dude, this is different. I was like, this is different, bro. And Sikkim, you gotta push it. Like he's like, I know you don't want to like just be the person who did Sikkim, but this is your way to get that first PR. Right. Red and black. They played at the stadium. You know, we're able to get that. It's stages. Now, with musicians, that's the one thing. I just met this guy that that came from the music realm and now is doing stuff with like Formula One and stuff in Atlanta. And he I was talking to him, and I was like, you know, there's only one niche that I have yet to been able to put wrap around my thumb with how to do this with music. You know, it's a hard one. I've done it with gamers. I've done it with brands ground up, diamond companies, watch companies. They say watches are the most competitive niche. I have two watch companies, right? Ground up. I I didn't even know it at the time, but I have one of your watches. You do? Yeah, it was crazy. Yeah, like he was like showing me his watches, and I was like, yo, that's one of mine. But yeah, so like he was and I thought he was gonna be like, oh yeah, it's really hard. He was like, no, no, I beg to differ. He was like, I was in the music industry up till I came to Atlanta. He was like, I did that my entire career was in the music industry. He's like, it's definitely possible. We're gonna have Keef on the podcast in two weeks, so make sure to follow up with that episode. Not gonna spoil any sauce there, but yeah. Okay. So in order to make it as a musician, I noticed there's some stuff that is unconventional in today's day. It's no longer I have to get discovered because everybody has talent. Talent is talent, but there's something called the it factor. You need to have the it factor, and I've seen that Sony will sign like these in the development program. People that have the it factor don't have the it factor when you think of symphonic band leading the Woodwin section. Right. It's a personality, a charisma, a feeling that they create. That's the it factor. For you, you have the it factor. Definitely, but you also have the Woodwin section, right? Leader. Right. How much do you think that that has a role in your productions? The technical background.

Ash 29:19

A lot. Yeah, you know, see, it's one of those really cool things that I think making beats is so cool because anybody can do it. And that's one of the biggest parts is oh, you don't have to have music theory or anything like that.

Eshan 29:38

I beg to differ.

The Role of Technical Background in Music Production

Ash 29:39

Anyone can't do it though. I think to an extent because it's a hobby before it's a job, I feel like. What do you mean by can't do it? Anyone can anybody can pick up the computer and make it a few. Anybody can download the software that it requires, anybody can put click in the notes and everything like that. Anybody can do it. Absolutely. And it doesn't require a music theory background or anything like that, but it helps. Yeah, it helps. It really does. You know, knowing how to read music, knowing how to play an instrument, all these things help a lot. You know, it gives you the the technical background that you can apply through learning the software. Now, this is where I say anybody can learn regardless of a music theory background, is because it's really about just knowing the software. Knowing the software. If you master FL Studio, you are going to make great beats.

Eshan 30:37

So you have to basically what you're saying is the software, it becomes an extension of you. You become the instrument, and what you hear in your mind, you're able to put it onto paper. Right, right. Love that. So for those of you listening, pick a software, stick with it.

Mastering the Software and Choosing the Right DAW

Ash 30:52

Absolutely. Yeah. I've tried multiple. Obviously, I learned how to on Garage Band, which is free, you know. So if anybody ever wants to try making beats, bruh, get a free software. Get a free software, try it out. Learn what you're doing, know how to put audio files into a DAW, learn anything like that. You know, look take a free one and learn it before you dump 200 bucks into the producer edition of FL Studio or something like that.

Eshan 31:20

It's probably harder to start on FL Studios producer edition. So, like your barrier of entry is gonna be so high. And like connecting, being able to connect with what's in your head, putting that on paper. Charlie Pooth does it with his phone.

Ash 31:33

Like he literally gets his phone, he gets voice memos open, and he's like he uses Pro Tools, which is a strictly recording software.

Eshan 31:40

Yeah, that's crazy, by the way. Like using Pro Tools is probably the most like difficult way to like ever do it.

Ash 31:47

But it's just like that's his process. Because most producers use samples for sure. He makes his. Also, what you gotta think about too when you're picking one is what genre of music you want to get into. If you want to go hip hop, there is not a better DAW than FL. If you want to go pop or country or rock or anything like that, you have a couple to pick from. You know, Logic is a great one. Ableton is a great one. EDM. Ableton is the one to use for like EDM. You know, so each each genre of music has DAW that is more suited toward that, you know?

Eshan 32:25

Yeah, it's not that you can't use FL to create.

Ash 32:27

Right. It's just the other ones are gonna make the process a lot more streamlined.

Eshan 32:32

There's there's uh MIDI's that interfaces that go well with Ableton. Right. Whereas with FL Studio, you could literally use a mouse. Logic comes native on a Mac, right? But everything runs well on a Mac. That was a big barrier of entry like back in the day. Imagine having ILOC. Like, we don't even think about ILOC today. Right. Yeah, so like today we have such an ease of access to things, and I think that's almost a bad thing for people getting started because now we have the opposite of what you and I had growing up. Like, for me, it was a hobby. For you, it turned into something you're doing big time, right? But just being able to get foot in the door to try it. Because for me, it was just like I want to get this in, like, I want to be able to hear this in my head on this, or this piano piece I'm recording. I'm gonna I want to learn to loop it. I want to be Ed Sheeran. Yeah, yeah. No, I mean to be able to be able to do that, like today you can do it with your iPhone.

The Importance of Starting and Learning from Mistakes

Ash 33:31

Right. I agree. There's so many, so many different things that you could use or different just methods to go about doing it that it kind of makes it hard when you sit down and you're like, okay, I want to start doing this, and you look at all the ways that you can do it, and then you're like, Oh, I don't even know which one to pick. You know, it does get kind of difficult. That's how it is with me in content creation right now. It's like, like you said earlier, the best thing to do is to just start doing it because the worst thing to do is to not do anything. Yes, but at the same time, you sit there and you look at it and you're like, Oh, damn, like, do I use cat cut cap cut? Do I use this? Do I use this? Do I record it with my phone? Do I have to buy a camera? Do I have to do these things? Yeah, I do, yeah.

Eshan 34:16

Have you made a video?

Ash 34:17

Yeah, I've got uh a couple shorts up on it for sure.

Eshan 34:20

Okay, because I want to link your channel to this podcast for everyone to check out and hear your works. For sure. Because when you have that it factor, that talent, you don't even have to have the it factor, guys. You can build the it factor, you can get the it factor. The it factor is the fact that you'll do it. Yeah. Because just that charisma is like engineerable. You can engineer charisma. Right. Like I'm gonna move this cup to the right. Next, I'm gonna put it back. You just engineered that. Yeah. It's knowing what you're gonna do next. Right. Certainty in what you're gonna do next. And you don't get that, you don't master that by not doing it. So if you're going to make a YouTube video and it's gonna be shit, good. You made a YouTube video. You made a YouTube video, great. Get the shit out of your system. Right. Make a bunch of YouTube videos that are shit. Great. You can be the guy that makes shit YouTube videos.

Ash 35:26

It's the same thing with everything. When I started making beats, I made shit beats. Of course. My first beat ever, I would never ever shit.

Eshan 35:35

Nobody comes out of the womb, cuts their own umbical cord, right, fucking gets up and starts walking. Not even Usain Bolt fucking did that.

Ash 35:44

Right. Nobody.

Eshan 35:46

You gotta start somewhere, everywhere. Yeah, there's a first step. Right. Always a first step. And our bodies are incredible. They learn, they learn so much things that we don't even want them to learn. So it's really important who you surround yourself with. Parents told me that all the time. But now I really understand that that is the biggest weapon. You can either hurt yourself, hold yourself back, simply by choosing who you decide to put into your mind. Today with YouTube, we have feeds that are saturating your mind with like content and it's sticking inside of you, and then you surround yourself with people, and those people are not in the same mindset that you are, and you wonder why you're stuck. You're stuck because you're sitting on epoxy.

Ash 36:33

Right.

Eshan 36:33

Yeah, like stop putting epoxy on your seat and you won't be stuck. No, I really, but like the epoxy, I doubt that's gonna really hold me back. I'm gonna be sitting in the seat to produce anyway. You're still stuck. You're still stuck. Right. Yeah. So if you like some people are like, but I don't have the luxury or I don't have the I'm not as lucky to be able to even get into step one. You have legs? Right. If you don't have legs, you have a mode of transportation, like because if you made shit YouTube videos every day for the next two years, and it's people shit on you every single day for the next two years, at some point they're gonna realize that they look stupid. Right. Because this person made it for two years he did this. So maybe there's something here that is respectable. They respect the hustle. Right. You're going to see people gonna start supporting you just because they're inspired by how driven you are. But I guarantee you you did it for two years. Anything, any single thing, you're gonna be really good at it. Yeah, you're gonna start to learn. You're gonna be really good at it. Right. Because that's the human nature, right? Just like you didn't come out of the womb walking, but you can freaking walk just fine. People don't super good. You don't see people just try like falling over when they walk randomly, they don't forget how to walk. You can walk so good. But it took how many years for a kid to start learning to walk?

Ash 38:11

Months.

Eshan 38:11

Yeah, usually two years.

Ash 38:13

Yeah. To walk really good. To walk really good.

Eshan 38:16

To walk really good. It took uh you saying bolt how long to learn how to walk really fucking good, you know? Right. Okay, everyone can do it. The thing is, if you can get as good as you are at walking, at anything, right? Your body's your body just learns. It's going to learn by not doing it perfectly, by making mistakes. And that's something that I learned from like from Andrew Huberman. The brain's neuroplasticity. Your brain has the ability to change and adapt over time. It's the beauty of the brain. And making mistakes is a stimulus for that change to occur. Our brain doesn't just change in real time, unless you're like a kid. Kids' brains can like you can imprint like real time trillions of neurons fire and wire together, and they change. That doesn't happen for adults. There's only two times that your body changes and your brain's able to change. It's it's like when you're sleeping at night during a dreamless state of sleep, that's when those changes occur. So it's when you're sleeping that you learn. The learning actually occurs, not when you're doing the practice. So that's why when you sleep on it, wake up, you're better at it the next day. Right, right. Yeah. So the other thing that causes real-time change is mistakes, making mistakes. Because your body's equipped to learn from failure. So by being afraid of failure, which psychologically hurts two times more than actually failing. Isn't that crazy? The thought of failure hurts two and a half times more than actually failing. Right. But you cannot feel any of the pleasure of future success. If you're scared of failing in the first place. You can't feel any pleasure. You cannot think about a future success and feel the pleasure of it. Zero. But you can feel two and a half times, like you can feel two times the pain of future failure, which is why we have analysis paralysis. So it's here to protect you. Biologically, it is. You don't want to go stick your hand in a fire twice. Right, because you learned that first time. You learned the first time. Right. So the fear of making a mistake is what's holding you back, guys. The fear of making a mistake is what's holding you back. So go make mistakes. Now don't be an idiot. Right. Don't go put your hand in a fire that's gonna hurt.

Ash 40:33

Like if you know better and still do it, uh that's not a mistake.

Eshan 40:36

Fail quick, learn fast. Right. Yeah, and move on. Like, quicker you can do that, the quicker you get into a cycle of learning, adapting, changing your patterns, learning, adapting, changing, quickly optimizing. But that's how that's a power tool. It's a power tool. So just get started. Do it wrong. Go do it wrong. Like, don't be afraid to do it wrong. But when you do it wrong, learn from that. See what you did wrong, and then try again. So, what instruments did you play?

The Power of Practice and Overcoming Fear of Failure

Ash 41:03

Saxophone. Saxophone. Alto sax was like my one. But I've uh I've played all of them. I've played saxophone on a couple of my beats. I guess yeah, it's a cool thing knowing how to play an instrument because then you can start incorporating it into the production. Next, because I want to be able to sit down and teach piano if you want me to teach you. I know I'm gonna hold you to it. First time I ever went to your place, you played some piano for me and told me that you'd teach me, and I haven't forgotten. Wow, you're holding me to it.

Eshan 41:38

I like it. Yeah, I forgot. I'm going to. I will teach you piano 100%. So on the next podcast episode that we have, Ash is gonna be back playing the piano.

Ash 41:47

Play Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars.

Eshan 41:50

He's gonna be playing uh there's a there's a playing moonlight of the bumblebee. I can learn by ear, right? So, like, but still have to learn the mechanics, and I'm glad that I did.

Incorporating Instruments into Beats and Learning to Play

Ash 42:01

For sure. Yeah, that's that's the thing that I've learned because I've tried to pick up guitar too, and my method of picking up guitar was just learning songs that I liked hearing, like learning how to play the songs, but the downfall in that is that I wasn't actually learning any technique or any proper like anything, I was just playing these songs, you know. So it rather than playing guitar, I could play this song on guitar. It's different, it is different. You know, I right now I can play Moonlight Sonata on the piano. I can't play piano though. It's different, it's different. Learning how to play a song on an instrument and learning how to play the instruments absolutely are completely different.

Eshan 42:42

Okay, I see what you're saying. 100%. Yes. I'm gonna teach you on a grand piano. Okay, let's do it. So, no, but that that's a really good point you make. I want you to explain this to me like I know nothing. Okay, what does it mean to produce under 808 Mafia? Like, are you signed? Are you affiliated, being mentored? Like, how does that work? And yeah.

Understanding the Role and Impact of Being Signed to 808 Mafia

Ash 43:05

So I am signed to 808 Mafia. Southside is the one who signed me. He's also the founder. At the time it was co-founder, now he's a sole founder. It was Lex Luger that was the co-founder with him back in 2008, or when Waka Flaka was going big and everything like that. But yeah, so South South Side signed me to his label 808 Mafia, and from there it it means more mentally to me than it has meant physically. It should. I mean, that is a huge thing, it's a huge deal, and it was something that I'd always wanted, you know. Like I said, I mean, I listened to all types of music, but back when I started producing, my biggest inspirations uh For my music were 80 Mafia. That sound. I mean March Madness by Future. He created that sound. Like Fuck Up Some Commas by Future. And like all these songs, I was like, oh man, these beats, they like you said earlier, they move you. Like they like you can't listen to it without bobbing your head or doing something. So I was like, oh, I gotta make beats like these. So it definitely means more mentally than physically. And you know, it is a cool opportunity. I'm very grateful for the opportunity because since being signed, I've been in a bunch of studios. I've met a bunch of A-list other A-list producers, A-list artists. Tell me more about these rooms. Yeah.

Eshan 44:45

People that are there, and yeah.

Ash 44:47

So my very first studio session that I ever went to was with Smatt in Miami, and it was a Luh Tyler session that Trippy Red pulled up to. Cool. That was my very first studio session ever, which is crazy. No. No, no. The the crazy part about my journey so far is regardless of who I'm in the room with, I never really get nervous. And that's not like a oh, I'm such a macho man, like all this and that, whatever. I'm not trying to make it seem like I'm a tough guy. Like I just don't get nervous in the sense of I know what I'm doing and I have confidence in my own skill. Right. And I know that especially in the level of rooms that I'm in, I wouldn't be there if I'm not supposed to be. Absolutely. You know, so that that keeps me from getting nervous. For sure. You know, because I I just have to be confident in myself and know why I'm there. I'm there because they invited me.

Eshan 45:48

Yeah, you're not afraid to show your works.

Ash 45:49

Right. Yeah. You know, so it's like, oh, are you here?

Eshan 45:53

Oh, here, listen to this.

Encounter at A2F Studio

Ash 45:54

Right. Oh crap. Right. Free promo. Right. And I I have had somebody try to impress me on that one time. I was at a studio set. It was A2F in Miami. I was in a session, and I was in the A or I was in B room because the artist that was there recording for his album that came out a while ago, he he was in A Room. I was in Southside's room. He because he he was bouncing back before between B and A room because he would come make beats in B room, go to A room and executively produce what was going on in there. And next thing you know, it was Destroy Lonely walks down the hall. And he hears me making beats in B room because Southside was in A room. And he like peeks his head in, he's like, This you? And I was like, Yeah. He's like, I'm in E-room or F room or whatever room. Go go load my engineer up with some beats. So I take my hard drive into e-room and give it to the engineer. I'm like, hey, just take take the beats in this file. Destroy lonely told me to come in here and do that. Well, while I was in there, another producer that was there, I guess who was like his main producer, was like, yo, what's your name, bro? And I was like, Oh, uh I'm Ash. He was like, Yeah, so like who are you here with? I'm like, Southside. Yeah. Like, I'm here with Southside, I'm one of his producers. And he was like, hmm, okay. Sits back down on the couch. It was like a weird experience. So I go back to my room and tell Calvin and Tudope and all these other folks that are in there, and they start laughing. They're like, yeah, he he's probably just intimidated, this and that. But I thought it was hilarious. I thought it was hilarious. I mean, that was because I I had met him four hours earlier while I was walking into the studio with Southside. It's like, you know me. I introduced myself to you. You know who I am. You know who I walked in with. You like you saw me.

Eshan 48:00

Yeah.

Ash 48:01

What are you trying to do here? You know?

Eshan 48:03

Yeah. But uh it was just cool. You don't you don't take any drugs, period. Like, you know, that scene is flooded with dope. I mean, there's everyone's high all the time on multiple things, but you you produce sober.

Ash 48:19

Yeah. I was even told one time by Southside, he was like, Man, I don't know how you do it. And I kind of looked at him and told him back. I was like, I don't know how you do it, you know? Like, but then he looks at me on the opposite end of the spectrum. Yeah. He's like, How are you, how are you even still up in the studio making beats without drinking at least? Like, how are you doing that? Very cool, dude. Right? It's not even like a thing. Like it I don't.

Eshan 48:51

Yeah, it's not like a thing.

Ash 48:52

It's normal. I don't have to sit there and try not to do anything. I just don't.

Eshan 48:56

Like how do you think how do you think your job at the Ritz Carlton has played a role in that?

Staying Sober in the Music Scene

Ash 49:00

Well, it has because you know, I never had the opportunity to really start doing drugs because they drug test, yeah. Uh if you crash a car, yeah, say I were to crash any car, it doesn't even have to be the the Ferraris or these and that, whatever. If you crash any car there, the first thing they do is drug test you. Absolutely. You they also drug test you to even get the job. Right. And then on top of that, they continuously run background checks on your driving records to ensure that you're still apt to drive for their company. Right. So if I had any slip up at work andor outside of work, that's a problem. Wow. Now I'm not making money. You know, now I can't pay my bills, you know. So it was always more of like a it's not worth it for me. Yeah, like I don't even care to try. You know, I know most people say, oh, don't knock it till you try. I don't even care to try. Right. It's not something I want to get into.

Eshan 49:59

No, that's that's I I respect that a lot.

Ash 50:02

For sure.

Eshan 50:02

Yeah, and I mean, that's no no hate towards people who are in the production scene.

Ash 50:08

That's I always would tell this. See, this is funny. I would always tell Southside and them, I would always say that I played rugby for UGA and that they drug test on the team.

Eshan 50:17

Yeah.

Impact of Ritz-Carlton Job on Sobriety

Ash 50:17

Because I didn't I didn't want to be the like weird little kid that was always in the sessions, like, oh, I don't do drugs. I don't do drugs.

Eshan 50:25

Yeah, you were the you were the team captain for your high school rugby team, weren't you?

Ash 50:28

But yeah, anyway, I did use that as an excuse though. I because I didn't want to be not cool. I wanted these guys to think I was cool, so they'd want to keep inviting me to sessions and everything. You know, so I didn't want to feel not cool or I didn't want it, not that drugs are cool. That makes perfect sense. That makes perfect sense. I didn't want them to judge me for it, so I was always like, Oh yeah, the team, the rugby team drug test me. I can't do drugs with you. I'm sorry.

Eshan 50:51

Well, I still want to come back to this topic here where you know how many producers are on 808 Mafia?

Ash 50:57

You know, I'm not sure the exact number. There's a lot of there's a lot of smaller producers, a lot of bigger producers. There's also producers that I'm less than a thousand. Uh less. I mean, I would say probably around 50. 50 50 to 100.

Eshan 51:13

50 to 100, if that.

Ash 51:14

I mean, max maybe 50.

Eshan 51:16

Yeah, because what the what is known, this is trap. Everyone wants to be a trap producer in high school, right? Southside is notoriously picky, notoriously picky. That's he's very selective and for a good reason. Yeah, the guy knows music, right? He doesn't matter whether he's high making music or he's sober making music, does not matter. It's damn good. It it's damn good.

Ash 51:44

Absolutely.

Eshan 51:45

So to be able to be seen, heard, that says a lot. So you know, M M. You only get one shot. So that opportunity only comes once in a lifetime. Right. What are you gonna do with this?

Ash 52:06

You know, half of me thinks that I got signed at a pretty bad time. And then the other half of me thinks, oh, any time would have been a great time and make the most of it. But part of me, you know, because when I got signed, I was in school and and you know, a class took up a lot of obligation. I've I'm also like, or when I got signed, I was super broke. Like it nobody was paying for these flights to Miami and stuff like that until Calvin started picking up on that for me as my manager. He was but it was felt more like a handout, like, oh, I don't want you to miss out on this. Like, here's 200 bucks, you get a flight, you know, that sort of thing.

Eshan 52:47

But but showing up is really important, right?

Ash 52:50

I mean, there were times where I drove down to Miami. It's a 12 and a half hour drive from Athens to Miami, and I would drive it just to be there. And like that shows something too. They would they would see that and they'd be like, bro, nobody has ever driven 12 and a half hours to go somewhere.

Eshan 53:07

I want to know how do we how do we take on a new approach to get people like you exposure to be able to show the world the the talent that show the world like how cool these works are, you know?

Ash 53:21

It's it's an interesting one because uh even me being in a position, I'm not a hundred percent sure. Like I feel like it happens differently for everybody. There's this guy that on YouTube that I always used to watch, his name's KBeazy. KBeazy is now an industry producer, but he started on YouTube making tutorials. His first ever placement came from posting a YouTube tutorial on how to make beats like so-and-so, and then that person saw it and reacted to it on their Instagram story. Next thing you know, he swipes up because he saw it on their story. He swipes up, yo, that was me. Like, thanks for the love on the video. And he goes, Send the FLPs, the project files, send the project files for that one that you were working on on the video. I'm gonna work on it, send it out. Next thing you know, he's got a Chief Keef placement from posting a tutorial video on YouTube. You got me, I was working at the valet of the Ritz-Carlton, not even a related job. That's a crazy story, by the way. Now I'm signed. You know, so it happens so differently for everybody in it that it's really it's all about the connections. That's what I always say is music is 20% actual music and 80% who you know and where you're at and who you affiliate with and everything like that. It's all connections, 80% connections, 20% music.

The Importance of Connections in Music Industry

Eshan 54:47

Do you think in that golf cart, if you had met that guy and then by the way, the fact that you wrote a note says a lot. It really does. That says a lot. He probably would not have listened to anything like you happen to run into him, right? So had you not wrote that note, maybe you would have run into him still, but it was already made to happen. Right. But the fact that you wrote that note says a lot, and that's all it takes is a sticky note. You know, a handwritten note, if you're doing e-commerce, that would those first hundred orders write a note.

Ash 55:25

Oh, yeah, and put it in there.

Eshan 55:26

Put it in there. So Jod, every piece of merch she's ever given me has a handwritten note.

Ash 55:31

Right.

Eshan 55:32

So cool.

Ash 55:33

It goes a long way, it shows that you actually care. It does. That's that's another thing too. Now that you see a lot as a producer that has a little bit of motion, a lot of people send me emails. I've got three completely full email inboxes of loops and people reaching out trying to get people between these. No, I do all the time. I do. I I use loops it more as much, if not more, as I make my own melodies. Like I do it all, but I use loops a lot because I love the aspect of collaboration, which is I I feel like is somewhat lost now, uh, but not even at the same time. So a lot of people are getting upset that there's four, five, six producers on the same beat because that means that you have to split.

The Role of Collaboration in Music Production

Eshan 56:29

Bro, I can help you to the extent that I can help you, right? But I want to see you start a YouTube channel and share that a passion you have because you're very passionate for sure. And I think I think the like community is going to really appreciate that. I think there's a lot of people out there that are gonna benefit from this, and I I think the world deserves to see that because you're also a very down-to-earth person and genuine, so you have that, you have that it factor, and I think you're gonna be very successful again in the YouTube scene. I think people would really enjoy your videos. I I would I would love to see a collaboration, for example, with Kyle Beats.

Ash 57:09

Oh, yeah, yeah. I used to watch his stuff all the time. I mean, there's so many YouTube producers that I would always watch. Yeah, I think he was one of them.

Eshan 57:18

If, for example, you were to work with Kyle Beats, that would be an incredible collaboration. I think there would be so much content that would come out of that, and music that would come out of that. Stuff like that, just like putting yourself in a position to where it's possible, right? So, Kyle, if you're watching this, I'm here, I'm here. 808 Mafia Ash.

Potential YouTube Channel and Collaborations

Ash 57:40

But yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, that's why I love collaboration is because it's all about music. I mean, music is all about the music itself, you know. For me, I'm very passionate about it. I love it. Also, I I picked music as an occupation. Like at first it was a hobby, now I want to do it as a for a living forever. Because, at least in my opinion, the 80 to 100 short years on earth that we have is is wonderful, and I I'm gonna enjoy every day of it. But if one person listens to one of my songs after I die, I've extended my lifespan. Love that. You know what I'm saying? Like it means more to me because I've been able to now live through my music as well as live through me. You know, I love that.

Eshan 58:24

You know, like Pachelbel Cannon in D. Here's to the ones that we got. Right. Literally living on through Maroon 5. Yeah. Because it's been what is it, 70 years after he dies that you can use the open source?

Ash 58:42

Yeah, 70.

Eshan 58:43

70 years?

Ash 58:44

Yeah, I think so.

Eshan 58:46

Isn't that amazing? So that's the goal. 70 years after you die, right? You still want that song to be used by the people, I yes, he died 70 years ago. Right. Beethoven! Yeah, you know, yeah.

Ash 58:58

But yeah, also, I mean, music has so much emotion in it, too. Like you can relate to something that makes so heavily feel something. Right.

Eshan 59:09

Makes you feel the feeling of what you're feeling.

The Impact and Longevity of Music

Ash 59:12

People say it all the time, oh, this song saved my life. You know, it's something like that. That would mean a lot to me too, you know. I've been able to impact someone so heavily that they either made or didn't make or whatever a huge decision that could have been really bad because of something that I composed or I wrote or Oh my gosh, dude.

Eshan 59:34

Like you know, if you go through a breakup, you're going through like hard times in life. Right. Think about the song by the fray. Where did I go wrong? Lost a friend, and tell me you don't feel something.

Ash 59:45

Right. I mean, there's so many out there. There's a good song for every emotion that you feel.

Eshan 59:52

Oh yeah. The Beatles.

Ash 59:54

No, yeah.

Eshan 59:55

They have a lot of them. They have a song for every point in your life, literally.

Ash 59:58

For sure.

Eshan 59:58

Yeah. That's amazing, dude. So tell me what what's you know, working with Sajaad and I might have had a little bit to force you guys into the situation and it maybe was uncomfortable, but I want to know what that felt like. You know, your producers about getting placements and like producing for people. What's the difference between uh producing for someone and producing with somebody?

The Emotional Connection Through Music

Producing with vs Producing for Someone

Ash 1:00:27

I think in terms of producing, I would much rather be the producer that builds with an artist than a producer that chases placements. It means more. I mean, think of Nick Mira and Juice World or anybody like that, where out of nowhere you see this artist just pop up and he's massive, and you know, everybody loves his music. You know, it's a huge thing. And the whole time it's the same producer that's building with the artists. Metro's done it with so many people, Pharrell's done it with so many people. You know, you get these artists that have the it factor, like what you're talking about, and you're able to help them find their sound as the producer. That's your job. You're there to find or help an artist find their sound, and what really pushes them, or you know, you're hearing them make this work, and you hear that, oh, maybe this chord fits better with this note if you were to sing it like this. Or I mean, kind of like how you saw the the it was icy. You, me, and Sajaad were over at my house and we were making icy.

Eshan 1:01:46

I think I was like laying on the ground. Yeah, he was like walking around, and we're like, wait, hold on.

Ash 1:01:50

And the whole time, you know, you're sitting there as the producer and you're finding vocal stacks, or you're you're finding harmonies that fit in certain places that maybe this artist can't quite pick out, but that's your job as the producer is to produce, you know. You're making this whole movie that comes out in song format, and you help you help the artist get to that point. I love that. I I would rather do that than anything else.

Eshan 1:02:17

Yeah, it's magical, right?

Ash 1:02:18

You know, having that moment, it's so fun, dude. It's so fun, it's the best. So that's one of the reasons why I really like working with Sajod. It like, regardless of the placements or this, or who who how big is this person compared to this person? I don't care about any of that. At the end of the day, Sajaad is one of my friends, and it's always more fun working with a friend on something creative that you both of y'all care about than it is working with anybody, you know?

The Role of a Producer

Eshan 1:02:49

It's different because you guys are kind of like building on each other. It's also different with Sajaad because Sajaad is like you're watching him turn into like he's blooming, he's blossoming, right? He's blooming. But what I've noticed with both of you and seeing it, it's like from the musical mastery side, you have it, you're you have the musical genius. That's where he doesn't like he lacks a musical genius with technicality. But now he's being able to apply the connect the dots. Coming, he's he's going from two different ends. Rather than going from book up, he's going from sound in. Right. And that's the beauty of a producer, is you can actually connect those dots for him.

Working with Sajaad

Ash 1:03:37

Right. So like he he's even been interested recently in some of the sessions that we've done together, of like learning my process, just because he wants to know how to describe a like a sound that he wants, or like, oh, I want I want to beat with this type of pattern, or I want a West Coast beat. It's making him starting to learn that too. I don't know. I at the end of the day, I think that's the difference between a producer and a beat maker. Like you can make beats, right? You're a beatmaker, but if you're working with artists and you're producing their sound, you're a producer, you know, it's it there's a difference for sure.

Eshan 1:04:13

There's definitely a difference, and like so Benny Blanco, for instance, he does exactly what you're talking what you're talking about, is like producing in time with the musician in real time, hearing what is happening, and even being able to like hear what they're what they're doing and say, Hey, I want this like this right now. That always fascinates me when like you know, I've seen clips and stuff. Benny Blanco, I I really think that Benny Blanco does he gets no credit right at all.

Ash 1:04:47

Right, you see all the TikToks all the time in every one of his TikToks, he plays some old classic, just absolute banger. And he's like, Yeah, I made this. Yeah, and you're like, What? I didn't even know.

Difference Between a Producer and a Beat Maker

Benny Blanco and Rick Rubin's Influence

Eshan 1:05:00

Like it's like when you're it's it's actually crazy because it's like as having seen worked with celebrities, like it's not it's not like that. It's it's where it's like, you know, it's professionals. Professionals are professionals, right? Everyone is human at the end of the day. Some people desire the attention, others don't care for it, genuinely don't care for it. Right, and the ones that desire the attention cannot wrap their head around that, right? But the ones that don't care about it genuinely don't, like Julia Michaels. I got issues, yeah. That was on accident, right? Like that, I mean, like that was literally like, hey, like, actually, I want to be the one to put this out. She she's probably written so many songs for people before that. I mean, countless, countless, yeah, but it's not until that moment she's like, Oh, it's that's Julia Michaels, right? Right, so it's like, oh, that's Benny Blanco, right? It's like I've been here, guys. Yeah, I've been here every song you've ever heard 2003, right? Right, like people in People who are not like musically gravitated or you know have some sort of fascination with music, right? Wouldn't know who Rick Rubin is.

Ash 1:06:07

Right. Rick Rubin is the wizard of music. Yeah, he's telling you what color your your song sounds like.

Eshan 1:06:12

He's like, he's like, Jay-Z, hold on, that's purple. I want it to be blue.

Ash 1:06:17

Make this one sound orange. Uh yeah. Right now it sounds a little bit red. Right, right. Maybe like I love him, dude.

Eshan 1:06:23

Yeah. I love him.

Ash 1:06:25

I like Benny Blanco's style because he makes you feel so comfortable. Even when you're watching a video or anything like that.

Eshan 1:06:31

You know what, dude? You remind me of Benny Blanco. Like, I don't know Benny Blanco. Right. But seeing him online and like the feeling. Yeah. That's very what you just brought up is very unique. It's the ability to make someone feel very comfortable because you can't express yourself. Right. When you feel the adrenaline rushing through your body, you're in fight or flight. It's like, right, wait, what? No, like if you want to be able to flow on a track, like with Sjad. When you're in flow, creativity runs. For sure. You can't create when you're out of flow. Right. How do you enter flow? You gotta feel comfortable and you have that vibe. And I think that's a big deal with like how you give that, you give that feeling of I'll tell you my life story.

Creating a Comfortable Environment for Artists

Ash 1:07:17

Right. Why not? And I will. I'm an open book all around. You know. But I I love that about him too. I mean, you'll walk into his studio, there's plants everywhere. Like he's got a little bit of a hippie vibe to it, you know. He's barefoot, uh, has these baggy parachute pants on, and he's like probably sitting crisscross applesauce in the middle of his shit with his fingers like this, just like humming to you. He's like, Oh, welcome. You know, and just like floating, super yeah, yeah, and starts levitating and water starts swirling around him and shit. Yeah, no, he he he just seems super down to earth and makes you feel comfortable. I I would imagine. Obviously, I've never met him, but like you said on the internet, those are the vibes that he gives off when he's talking about what he's worked on or even in interviews or anything like that.

Eshan 1:08:09

Benny or are you talking about Rick Rubin? Benny. Both of them. Notice how both have that in common.

Ash 1:08:14

Right.

Eshan 1:08:15

They both have this in common. Because the way you just described it, I had to ask you which one.

Ash 1:08:19

Right.

Eshan 1:08:20

Rick Rubin or Benny.

Ash 1:08:21

They're both like that.

Eshan 1:08:22

Yeah, like you would see I absolutely could see Rick Rubin with his shoes off floating in a room like welcome. Right. Child. Right.

Ash 1:08:31

Welcome to my studio. Yeah. Make it your home. Yeah. You know? Take a seat, right? Or don't. Right. Whatever you want.

Eshan 1:08:39

Have some fruit.

Ash 1:08:40

Yeah. Or don't. Right. No, it's super cool. Super cool. That's that's what I want to be one day. I want to I want somebody to come to my home studio where I'm at home and make them feel at home.

Eshan 1:08:53

You know, you know what's crazy, Ash? Like, I want to be that one day. Why don't you be that today?

Ash 1:09:00

Without any I am on a to an extent. You are. Like at a certain level, I am. Sajod comes into my home and records at my home. Absolutely. And probably feels comfortable and at home at my home.

Eshan 1:09:12

All these things are like they're they're variables. Right. But you as a person can be that person. For sure. Yeah. And you are. The thing is, like, that's something with you. I'm like, you are. You actually are a producer.

Ash 1:09:26

Yeah.

Eshan 1:09:27

There's no BS. It's like, here's here's 10,000 beats that are all produced. I'm I mean beat, beat, banger, banger, banger. It's like my mind goes insane, just yeah, I love it. But I definitely want to get you back on here.

Ash 1:09:40

Yeah, please.

Eshan 1:09:41

Because I I didn't even make it like a quarter through the stuff that I wanted to ask you. Like, but yeah, I mean we have to put a wrap on this episode. But your YouTube channel, I want to see it blow up.

Ash 1:09:52

Let's do it.

Eshan 1:09:53

It's not the goal, isn't it to blow it up? I want I want to have I think it's a disgrace to the works you do. I I genuinely like your music. I really like the beats you make. And we already discussed putting it onto a site.

Ash 1:10:08

Yeah.

Eshan 1:10:09

Right now we have BeatsOnFye. BeatsOnFye.com. And what we're gonna do is put together a a little collection of beats. We're gonna get creative here, make a couple beat packs for you guys to go check it out. And we should give them a we should give them a little bonus for listening to the episode. Yeah, yeah.

Being a Producer Today

Ash 1:10:33

If you made it this far, we got a bonus beat for you. Bonus beat.

Eshan 1:10:39

Yeah, you get get any one of the three beat packs completely free. You're gonna use code Angry Digital. I like it.

Ash 1:10:50

Thanks for having me on.

Eshan 1:10:52

Dude, of course.

Ash 1:10:53

I really enjoyed this. Let's get another episode.

Wrapping Up the Episode and Future Plans

Eshan 1:10:55

No, a hundred percent. I want to have you back. I have a lot more questions. I also think it'll be interesting. I want to talk to Keef about in two weeks. I want to talk to Keef about this exact scenario and how I could help a producer like yourself and get that exposure from a marketing angle. Because that's again that's something I'm all constantly learning. I'm constantly learning. I'm not a master of anything. Right. So yeah, no, the second you become a master of everything is when you become an idiot. Right. It's when you start becoming the next thing that's gonna get eaten. Yeah. Yeah, never get too comfortable. The second you become too comfortable, you're gonna get eaten.

Ash 1:11:30

So always give everything a try.

Eshan 1:11:33

Always.

Ash 1:11:33

Always.

Eshan 1:11:34

Yeah. Well, thank you for listening to today's episode. It's always a pleasure to listen to entrepreneurial stories and hear how they got started. I like to give you guys an inside scoop behind the scenes of all these entrepreneurs' journeys because it's not all pretty flowers all the time, and everybody has their own way of doing it. But I hope you could take something away from this podcast episode and producers out there getting started. Pick a software. Just stick with it. And if you're going to go in inside the route of I'm going to master this end to end, get out of your head with analysis paralysis FL Studio 11. You heard it from Ash himself. It's the best one. So there you go. Make sure to stay tuned for next week's episode where we're gonna be having some creative media specialists here that have had the chance to work with people like Usher and Cardi B. And tons of people, tons of people. I mean, that's just shy.