creative process

XXXTentacion’s Engineer Recalls Working On Some Of Late Artist’s Most Popular Songs

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During a recent interview, Dutch-born engineer Koen Heldens recalled working alongside XXXTentacion on some of the late performer’s most popular songs. He detailed his recording process during a conversation with Studio Talks, as well as what he was able to learn. “When I heard ‘Jocelyn Flores’ for the first time, and it completely took me by surprise. I had this image of XXXTentacion as a face-tatted SoundCloud rapper, but the raw emotion in ‘Jocelyn Flores’ was completely different from what I expected. X also had another track for me to mix: ‘F**K Love’ featuring Trippie Redd. That’s how we started working together—almost by chance. X had a way of manifesting things quickly, and it felt like fate that I mixed ‘Jocelyn Flores’ on my birthday,” he began.

“In November 2017, we worked on A Ghetto Christmas Carol EP, which we completed in one weekend. I remember trying to clean up the 808s on the title track, but X and producer Ronny J insisted, ‘No, no, no, don’t clean it up! It’s supposed to feel like an electric guitar for white people but felt through the bass in the trunk.’ That experience taught me that sometimes being technically correct doesn’t serve the creative process—music is about emotion and feel,” Heldens continued.

Read More: XXXTentacion’s Killer Argues He’s Not An “Evil Person”

Koen Heldens Discusses Working With XXXTentacion

XXXTentacion’s Engineer Explains Late Artist’s Recording Process 
XXXTentacion (C) attends BET Hip Hop Awards 2017 on October 6, 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Thaddaeus McAdams/FilmMagic)

He went on, remembering how XXX FaceTimed him right after recording “Sad!” According to him, the Florida-born artist had a feeling it would be a hit. “He sent me the track and said, ‘I need the mix back in an hour.’ Naturally, I thought, ‘An hour? That’s impossible.’”

Ultimately, however, Heldens was inspired. “I immediately felt compelled to push the snare way out front—making it loud and prominent,” he said. “There was no second verse, despite some discussions about adding one, but it didn’t need it since the song didn’t follow a typical structure.”

Read More: XXXTENTACION’s Killer Laughs At Rapper’s Son And Counts The Money He Stole From Him: Watch

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Kanye West & Jay-Z’s Creative Processes Are Drastically Different, Malik Yusef Reveals

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It’s no secret that Jay-Z and Kanye West are some of the most iconic hip-hop artists of their generation. According to one of their frequent collaborators, however, they each have drastically different approaches to making music. During a recent appearance on the TFU Podcast, Malik Yusef detailed their creative processes, noting that he sees them as equal despite the stark contrast.

“Hov works the least amount of hard on his music than anybody else I’ve ever met,” he began. “Like with Kanye, we’ll stay up for 36 hours, go to sleep for four and come back and do another 30. Hov — he just too good. Hov’s ridiculous. I mean, Kanye and Hov for me is [equal]; they just have different approaches.”

Read More: JAY-Z Buys Stake In Luxury Watch Marketplace Wristcheck

Malik Yusef Says Jay-Z Works Faster Than Ye

“Hov be like, ‘Can you get to the studio at 6?’ By 10, we got three songs done,” Yusef continued. “Kanye, he’ll have three months and have no songs done. Kanye will take a whole album and be like, ‘We have some good stuff on here. Aight, let’s start the album for real now.’” Perhaps this could explain why it took so long for fans to hear Vultures 1, though this could also have something to do with Ye’s apparent retirement plans.

Earlier this week, he told Rich The Kid that he was quitting music for good, adding that he’s “not sure what else to do.” Of course, fans are skeptical of the announcement, though they’re still eager to know what this means for Vultures 2 with Ty Dolla Sign. What do you think of Malik Yusef revealing that while Jay-Z works fast, Kanye West spends days at a time working on his music? Are you surprised that their creative processes are so different? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

Read More: Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign’s “VULTURES 1” Removed From Spotify To The Dismay Of Fans

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Lil Yachty Reflects On Drake Friendship & Their Different Creative Processes

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Lil Yachty recently discussed his friendship with Drake and how close the two are despite having very different lifestyles. He explained their relationship during an interview with Complex, last week. Yachty revealed that he enjoys staying in and making music, while Drake is more social. Despite the difference, they are still close friends.

“Me and him are kind of different when it comes to lifestyle,” Yachty said. “Like we’re really similar as people, but as far as life, we’re very different. Like, I don’t go out, he loves to go out, he loves to host people, he loves to party and I don’t like people that much.”

Read More: Lil Yachty Tweets & Deletes About Drake’s “For All The Dogs” Rumors

Lil Yachty & Drake Attend 21 Savage’s Event

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 22: Drake and Lil Yachty attend 21 Savage’s Freaknik22: The Sequel at Underground Atlanta on October 22, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/ GettyImages)

He continued: “And I record every day all day, where he kind of is very selective on his recording days as he has more of a life than I do. And, he is much more into actually living life as to where I am literally trying to record music every day. And I don’t know if I get that from him of like, ‘Oh, I should go live a life too,’ because I enjoy not living life, I enjoy making music. This is my fun. I hate going out. So, if anything, I just realized that you can be so similar to somebody yet so different at the same time.”

The comments come as Drake gears up for the release of his new album, For All The Dogs. While he’s kept many of the details close to his chest, he has confirmed that his longtime collaborator, Nicki Minaj, will appear on the project. He’s also revealed the cover art, featuring a design by his son Adonis. The album is set to drop on Friday, October 6. Be on the lookout for further updates on the effort on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Lil Yachty Reveals What Drake’s “For All The Dogs” Sounds Like

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Cardi B Clears Up Her Comments On Hip-Hop’s Origin & On Needing Writers

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Cardi B’s gotten her fair share of flack for her place within hip-hop, whether those conversations are legitimate or purely speculative. For example, many take issue with her requesting assistance in writing her material, which doesn’t fit the authentic and personal rap formula. Another big point of contention came up at the 2023 MTV VMAs, where she stood by the Bronx as the genre’s origin and people thought she was personally appropriating that accolade. These topics stir up a lot of conversation online, and the 30-year-old often jumps in to address them. This time around, it was on The Neighborhood Talk‘s Instagram page’s comments section, and she came to set the record straight.

“Ya just be wanting to disagree with everything I say but facts are facts like google it,” Cardi B wrote. “Where did hip-hop start at.. THE BRONX!!! Where I’m from? Not the Caribbean island hip-hop came from talking about the struggle and thats something I def lived so how that’s not my culture??? How can you tell me what I do or what I lived.. culture is literally the environment of what you came up in.”

Read More: Cardi B & Offset Pretend To Have Sex In The Bathroom At The VMAs

Cardi B Clarifies Her Comments On The Bronx Birthing Hip-Hop

Elsewhere in another post, the proud Bronx native tied these comments into the perception that she’s less valid as an MC because of other writers being on her tracks. “I started music before LHH and wrote about MY struggles and life as a dancer,” Cardi B expressed. “Go listen to them mixtapes. Also, I went to school for musical theatre and technology.. just because somebody might help me with a hook means nothing. Look at all ya fav artists credits they all do receive some type of help.”

The Bronx Native Speaks On Rappers Having Writers

Meanwhile, that’s not the only criticisms that she responded to this week. The “Bongos” hitmaker thinks that Joe Budden has a personal problem with her, as shown by his critique of her latest single with Megan Thee Stallion. Although the rapper and media personality said that people took his words too far when reporting on them, he stood by his thoughts. For more news and the latest updates on Cardi B, stay up to date on HNHH.

Read More: Cardi B Reveals Her Desire To Headline The Super Bowl Halftime Show

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