The Musical Influences Throughout my Life
STAR 98
When I was a child, my family and I loved listening to “A Total 80s Weekend” on our local radio station, Star 98. Some of my happiest memories are of driving to Door County or doing chores around the house with Star 98 playing in the background. I grew up on artists like Madonna, Tears for Fears, and Michael Jackson, and I quickly became fascinated by reverb-heavy drums and guitar solos.
Grade School
During grade school, I started paying more attention to music on the radio. Popular songs like “Hollaback Girl” and “Crank Dat” were everywhere—on the airwaves, on the playground, and in the gym. The first CD I ever purchased was It Won’t Be Soon Before Long by Maroon 5.
Timbaland
Even from a young age, I was drawn to masterful production. One vivid memory is lying on the couch listening to “Top 9 at 9” on 101 WIXX at age 12. I heard Timbaland’s Apologize featuring OneRepublic for the first time and was blown away by the strings, keys, and the way the drums created tension and release. Timbaland’s production had an emotional impact on me that I had never experienced before.
Middle School
In middle school, Lady Gaga’s Poker Face captivated me—the intro and vocals still amaze me to this day. Soon after, Coldplay released Viva La Vida, whose grandeur and use of old English instruments made a lasting impression.
College and Kendrick Lamar
It wasn’t until college that I began listening to full albums. That’s when I discovered Kendrick Lamar and his Good Kid, M.A.A.D City album, released two years earlier. Unlike the radio hits I grew up with, this album wasn’t something I’d heard before—it was an experience. Listening front to back felt cinematic, like I was watching a movie in my mind. This album sparked my love for hip-hop and led me to explore other classic hip-hop albums.
Resident Assistant
In the fall of 2014, I moved into my dorm at the University of Oregon. I had a sore throat, but my resident assistant (RA) had an electric kettle, which I used to soothe it. While sitting on his couch, I watched him create a beat on his MacBook Pro with an Akai MPK49 and Rokit speakers. I had never seen digital music production before. Watching him was transformative.
I didn’t fully understand what he was doing, but I was fascinated. I would sit for hours, observing his process, occasionally offering suggestions. He called them “baby talk” because I didn’t know the technical terms for instruments or effects—just how I wanted the music to feel. My RA was hugely influential in shaping my understanding of music production, and I’m deeply grateful for his mentorship.
DJING
In my second year of college, I joined a fraternity. Our parties often had lackluster music, so I became the house DJ. I downloaded Virtual DJ during spring break in my junior year, marking the start of my journey into understanding what songs resonate universally. I learned the importance of atmosphere, tempo, BPM, and lyrics, perfecting transitions so seamless that people wouldn’t even notice when a new song started. Eventually, I befriended the club DJ at a popular off-campus bar, which led to a few gig opportunities.
FL Studio
After college, I returned to DJ at the fraternity house, revisiting a place I had spent three years helping to shape. Soon after, I downloaded FL Studio, beginning my next chapter in music production.
!llmind
I first discovered !llmind through my RA. A two-time Grammy-winning producer, NFT pioneer, and collaborator with Drake, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Kendrick, he became my mentor. I first met him in person on June 25, 2019, after following his YouTube tutorials for years. During a studio session called Pass The Aux, I played two beats. The first received a critical but constructive response, and I felt disheartened. The second, however, earned a glowing, emotional reaction. He said, “It makes me feel like I’m driving a Corvette with the top down, and it’s raining,” waving his lighter in the air. That moment changed everything—it reminded me that emotional connection is the greatest compliment a creator can receive.
SPLICE
Splice became my go-to platform for loops and one-shots. While many sounds are low quality—what !llmind likened to Canal Street’s knockoff bags—I learned to curate the best ones. The better the samples, the better the beats.
Tyler The Creator
Tyler, The Creator, who I wasn’t initially a fan of, completely changed my perspective with Flower Boy. His production became the benchmark for creativity in any field, and I became a loyal supporter of his music.
youtube
I originally uploaded my beats to SoundCloud, where they received minimal exposure. In late 2022, I shifted to YouTube, remixing popular acapellas over my beats. This approach leveraged recognizable artists’ names and visuals, allowing my production to reach new audiences. This marked the start of my focus on remixing as my primary creative outlet.