Hit-Boy is undoubtedly the producer of 2022. After closing out 2021 with a third collaborative effort with Nas, Magic, he kept the momentum high throughout the year. He reunited with Beyoncé on “THIQUE” off of Renaissance – a strong display of his ability to craft hits. However, he also locked in with some formidable MCs. We saw him work alongside legends like Snoop Dogg and 2 Chainz. He also served as the executive producer behind The Game’s Drillmatic Heart Vs. Mind and, even more recently, Nas’s King’s Disease III.
“My responsibility is to just bring quality every time,” Hit-Boy told HNHH. “Like, really get into like the sonic sphere of where they flourish at. I feel like that’s why me and Nas win… I just like getting a specific pocket that allows their shit to breathe.”
Hit-Boy’s emphasis on bringing quality helped usher in a new era of Nas’s career. However, on the cusp of releasing King’s Disease III, 21 Savage sparked a debate surrounding Nas’ “relevance” in the culture. Fans and critics initially considered the comments disrespectful, but it didn’t take long for them to put their differences aside for “One Mic One Gun,” produced by Hit-Boy.
“I definitely was just like… I’m just a little like – man, this is crazy that we are the only genre that’s so quick to downplay the people around us, the OGs, whatever,’” Hit-Boy recalled of his initial reaction to 21’s comments. “And it’s like, I feel like what me and Nas are even pushing for is a bigger agenda just with hip hop and artists being able to mature and still make the flyest shit that they could possibly make that don’t sound dated.”
For the latest installment of HNHH’s 12 Days Of Christmas, we caught up with Hit-Boy to discuss bridging the intergenerational gap in hip-hop, King’s Disease III, and the history behind “Legit.”
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.