Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Episode 111: Hit-Boy is one of the biggest producers in modern day music. He's produced some of the biggest songs for Kanye West, Jay-Z, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Drake, Travis Scott, Big Sean and Nipsey Hussle. He's a 3x Grammy winner. He gave Jay-Z the first diamond record of his career, off a beat that six artists turned down before it ever got to him.
This Hit-Boy interview is different than the others he's done. We go deep into the craft, how the beats actually get made, cut, released, and paid! Why he's numbered every single beat he's made since 2006, and what happened to the 1,600 nobody picked. We got into all of it. Making "Backseat Freestyle" for Ciara before Kendrick ever heard it. Producing a #1 country record for Beyoncé. Being flat broke in 2017 with a future #1 already sitting on his hard drive. Getting free after 18 years and putting his new album out himself, on his own site, with no label and no DSPs. He also still makes everything in FL Studio, the same program he started on at 15 years old in Fontana, California.
He's one of the most important producers of the last 15 years and he's still working like he has something to prove. His biggest days are still ahead of him. This one's for anybody who makes music in the modern world, especially hip hop and pop. I hope you enjoy my interview with the legendary, Hit-Boy!
Huge thanks to our friends at DistroKid! DistroKid is the easiest and fastest way to get your music on over 150 platforms worldwide! Go to distrokid.com/vip/elmo to get 20% off your first year!
Become a Patreon Member to stay in the loop as we post Patreon-only exclusive content, ad free episodes, and discussions about music and music careers. patreon.com/gowithelmo
0:00:00 - TRAILER
0:02:36 - INTRODUCTION
0:03:50 - INTERVIEW STARTS
0:05:56 - STAYING MOTIVATED THROUGH UPS AND DOWNS
0:06:55 - A QUESTION FROM TERRACE MARTIN, PIANO LESSONS
0:08:40 - JAY-Z PERFORMING “NI**AS IN PARIS”
0:10:27 - “NI**AS IN PARIS” FELT LIKE A CURSE
0:12:48 - SUCCESS IS A DIRTY WORD
0:14:07 - WHY HIT-BOY NUMBERS HIS BEATS
0:15:05 - MAKING “NI**AS IN PARIS” AT HIS MOM’S HOUSE
0:17:09 - HEARING “NI**AS IN PARIS” FOR THE FIRST TIME
0:18:16 - HIT-BOY’S PRODUCING PROCESS
0:21:13 - KANYE’S “THIS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE” EMAIL
0:22:16 - SUCCESS, THE EXPECTATION TO MAKE HITS
0:25:19 - MUSIC AS THERAPY
0:26:18 - EARLY YEARS
0:29:37 - BIG HIT, PRISON, AND TOUGH LOVE
0:34:01 - PRODUCING DRUMS
0:35:11 - MAKING AND SENDING THOUSANDS OF BEATS
0:36:29 - CHILDISH GAMBINO'S "3005" ORIGINALLY HAD DRAKE'S "TROPHIES" BEAT
0:37:42 - KANYE WANTED “GRINDIN’ MY WHOLE LIFE”
0:41:18 - HOW TO TRANSITION FROM PRODUCER TO ARTIST
0:42:19 - HOW TO HANDLE REJECTION
0:43:30 - MAKING “CLIQUE” WITH JAY-Z, KANYE, AND BIG SEAN
0:44:52 - THE ORIGIN OF “CLIQUE”
0:45:58 - A$AP ROCKY, “GOLDIE,” AND “1TRAIN”
0:49:00 - KENDRICK LAMAR, “BACKSEAT FREESTYLE”
0:50:51 - DON'T OVERTHINK
0:51:58 - "TROPHIES," DAKE’S “HIT-BOY” LYRIC
0:52:38 - SENDING BEATS, WORKING WITH NAS
0:54:15 - DRAKE’S “HIT-BOY” LYRIC
0:55:12 - RIHANNA, BEYONCÉ, AND “SORRY”
0:56:53 - RIHANNA'S "ANTI" SESSIONS
0:59:20 - BEYONCÉ’S LEADERSHIP IN STUDIO SESSIONS
1:00:32 - “TEXAS HOLD ’EM”
1:01:11 - MAKING THE “SICKO MODE” INTRO
1:04:19 - NIPSEY HUSSLE, RODDY RICCH, AND “RACKS IN THE MIDDLE”
1:06:31 - MEMORIES WITH NIPSEY
1:07:28 - NIPSEY, JUICE WRLD, TRAUMA, AND THERAPY
1:09:49 - PRODUCERS’ RIGHTS AND OWNING YOUR MUSIC
1:14:20 - HOW TO WORK WITH HIT-BOY
1:14:59 - HIT-BOY AND NAS, 80 SONGS IN 3 YEARS, "KING'S DISEASE"
1:15:48 - FATHERHOOD, ANXIETY, AND HIS DAILY LIFE
Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!
Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: elmolovano.komi.io
Follow Hit-Boy:
instagram.com/hitboy
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#hitboy #hiphop #rapproducer #musicproducer
Episode 111: Hit-Boy is one of the biggest producers in modern day music. He's produced some of the biggest songs for Kanye West, Jay-Z, Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, Drake, Travis Scott, Big Sean and Nipsey Hussle. He's a 3x Grammy winner. He gave Jay-Z the first diamond record of his career, off a beat that six artists turned down before it ever got to him.
This Hit-Boy interview is different than the others he's done. We go deep into the craft, how the beats actually get made, cut, released, and paid! Why he's numbered every single beat he's made since 2006, and what happened to the 1,600 nobody picked. We got into all of it. Making "Backseat Freestyle" for Ciara before Kendrick ever heard it. Producing a #1 country record for Beyoncé. Being flat broke in 2017 with a future #1 already sitting on his hard drive. Getting free after 18 years and putting his new album out himself, on his own site, with no label and no DSPs. He also still makes everything in FL Studio, the same program he started on at 15 years old in Fontana, California.
He's one of the most important producers of the last 15 years and he's still working like he has something to prove. His biggest days are still ahead of him. This one's for anybody who makes music in the modern world, especially hip hop and pop. I hope you enjoy my interview with the legendary, Hit-Boy!
Huge thanks to our friends at DistroKid! DistroKid is the easiest and fastest way to get your music on over 150 platforms worldwide! Go to distrokid.com/vip/elmo to get 20% off your first year!
Become a Patreon Member to stay in the loop as we post Patreon-only exclusive content, ad free episodes, and discussions about music and music careers. patreon.com/gowithelmo
0:00:00 - TRAILER
0:02:36 - INTRODUCTION
0:03:50 - INTERVIEW STARTS
0:05:56 - STAYING MOTIVATED THROUGH UPS AND DOWNS
0:06:55 - A QUESTION FROM TERRACE MARTIN, PIANO LESSONS
0:08:40 - JAY-Z PERFORMING “NI**AS IN PARIS”
0:10:27 - “NI**AS IN PARIS” FELT LIKE A CURSE
0:12:48 - SUCCESS IS A DIRTY WORD
0:14:07 - WHY HIT-BOY NUMBERS HIS BEATS
0:15:05 - MAKING “NI**AS IN PARIS” AT HIS MOM’S HOUSE
0:17:09 - HEARING “NI**AS IN PARIS” FOR THE FIRST TIME
0:18:16 - HIT-BOY’S PRODUCING PROCESS
0:21:13 - KANYE’S “THIS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE” EMAIL
0:22:16 - SUCCESS, THE EXPECTATION TO MAKE HITS
0:25:19 - MUSIC AS THERAPY
0:26:18 - EARLY YEARS
0:29:37 - BIG HIT, PRISON, AND TOUGH LOVE
0:34:01 - PRODUCING DRUMS
0:35:11 - MAKING AND SENDING THOUSANDS OF BEATS
0:36:29 - CHILDISH GAMBINO'S "3005" ORIGINALLY HAD DRAKE'S "TROPHIES" BEAT
0:37:42 - KANYE WANTED “GRINDIN’ MY WHOLE LIFE”
0:41:18 - HOW TO TRANSITION FROM PRODUCER TO ARTIST
0:42:19 - HOW TO HANDLE REJECTION
0:43:30 - MAKING “CLIQUE” WITH JAY-Z, KANYE, AND BIG SEAN
0:44:52 - THE ORIGIN OF “CLIQUE”
0:45:58 - A$AP ROCKY, “GOLDIE,” AND “1TRAIN”
0:49:00 - KENDRICK LAMAR, “BACKSEAT FREESTYLE”
0:50:51 - DON'T OVERTHINK
0:51:58 - "TROPHIES," DAKE’S “HIT-BOY” LYRIC
0:52:38 - SENDING BEATS, WORKING WITH NAS
0:54:15 - DRAKE’S “HIT-BOY” LYRIC
0:55:12 - RIHANNA, BEYONCÉ, AND “SORRY”
0:56:53 - RIHANNA'S "ANTI" SESSIONS
0:59:20 - BEYONCÉ’S LEADERSHIP IN STUDIO SESSIONS
1:00:32 - “TEXAS HOLD ’EM”
1:01:11 - MAKING THE “SICKO MODE” INTRO
1:04:19 - NIPSEY HUSSLE, RODDY RICCH, AND “RACKS IN THE MIDDLE”
1:06:31 - MEMORIES WITH NIPSEY
1:07:28 - NIPSEY, JUICE WRLD, TRAUMA, AND THERAPY
1:09:49 - PRODUCERS’ RIGHTS AND OWNING YOUR MUSIC
1:14:20 - HOW TO WORK WITH HIT-BOY
1:14:59 - HIT-BOY AND NAS, 80 SONGS IN 3 YEARS, "KING'S DISEASE"
1:15:48 - FATHERHOOD, ANXIETY, AND HIS DAILY LIFE
Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated!
Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: elmolovano.komi.io
Follow Hit-Boy:
instagram.com/hitboy
Follow Go With Elmo:
instagram.com/gowithelmo
tiktok.com/@gowithelmo
https://x.com/gowithelmopod
Follow Elmo Lovano:
Instagram.com/elmolovano
https://x.com/elmolovano
Follow Jammcard:
youtube.com/@jammcard
instagram.com/jammcard
jammcard.com
#hitboy #hiphop #rapproducer #musicproducer
