BackTrak by TmrO

In this episode of BackTrak, Don Cannon sits down with legendary mix engineer Jaycen Joshua. Jaycen shares his journey of mixing massive hit records and the intense pressure of the golden era of studio culture. He reveals mind-blowing industry secrets, including a $293,000 invoice for six songs and the dark studio vibes that ultimately made him take a step back from mixing. Plus, Jaycen shares a hilarious, embarrassing encounter with J.Lo and officially announces the highly anticipated release of his God Particle 2 plugin.----TIME STAMPS-----00:00 Intro: Introducing "The Finisher" Jaycen Joshua03:42 The "Fuck Your Rough" Mentality & Mixing Approach08:14 Jaycen's A&R Roots & Starting Over17:10 The Pressure of Mixing for Tricky Stewart & The-Dream24:18 Studio Competitiveness & Hiding Mix Notes27:19 The Mixing Process: Rebuilding from Scratch30:22 Puff Daddy's Advice on R&B Drum Kicks34:33 The Nightmare of Analog Recalls & Printing Stems37:37 Giving Away the Sauce: Templates & Mentorship45:26 The Golden Era & Decline of Studio Culture49:32 The Hilarious & Embarrassing J.Lo Bathroom Story52:43 Navigating the Industry's Dark Side & Protecting Peace1:00:30 Mega Payouts & The $293,000 Mix Invoice1:06:23 The Secret of the Fruity Loops Clipper & Lavry Gold1:08:18 Building The God Particle & Announcing God Particle 2Follow Jaycen Joshua📸 https://instagram.com/jaycenjoshuaFollow us for more insights into hip hop history and music production:📸 https://instagram.com/tmronetwork📸 https://instagram.com/Doncannon🎽 Merch: https://shoptmro.com/#musicengineering #jaycenjoshua #godparticle

On this episode of Backtrack, Don Cannon sits down with legendary Atlanta producer Nitti Beatz to break down the science of a hit record and share untold stories behind some of the South's biggest anthems. Nitti explains how testing tempos in local strip clubs helped him craft the perfect bounce, leading to massive hits like Yung Joc's "It's Goin' Down" and Rich Homie Quan's "Flex". He also shares vital financial lessons, his unfiltered thoughts on modern "depression rap," and an exclusive technical deep dive into his essential gear and classic MPC setup.-- TIME STAMPS --00:00:00 - Episode Intro00:01:35 - Introducing Nitti Beatz00:03:14 - Decatur Roots & Influences00:06:07 - Church Drumming Background00:10:10 - Strip Club Culture & Testing Beats00:12:47 - The Science of BPMs00:17:13 - So So Def & Jermaine Dupri00:22:14 - The 8Ball Breakout Story00:25:07 - Meeting Puff Daddy00:30:15 - "It's Goin' Down" & Finances00:40:06 - Breaking New Artists00:43:45 - Early Rich Homie Quan00:47:10 - Clock Management Segment00:48:22 - Favorite Gear & Studio Tech00:59:18 - "Flex" Beat Breakdown01:01:11 - The Greenbriar Parking Lot01:05:28 - State of Atlanta Music01:12:26 - Final Advice for YouthFollow Nitti Beatz📸   / nittibeatz  Follow us for more insights into hip hop history and music production:📸   / tmronetwork  📸   / doncannon  🎽 Merch: https://shoptmro.com/#NittiBeatz #DonCannon #AtlantaHipHop

Tricky Stewart has spent decades quietly shaping the sound of popular music.On this episode of BackTrak, Don Cannon sits down with the legendary producer, songwriter and music executive to unpack the career, philosophy and business strategy behind some of the most influential records and artists of the modern era.Tricky opens up about discovering and developing The-Dream, building a creative ecosystem in Atlanta, the influence of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and L.A. Reid & Babyface, and why Love Hate remains one of the projects he's most proud of.He also gets deep on what actually makes a hit record, how he identifies talent before the rest of the world sees it, why chemistry matters, how creatives should build their personal brands, and the business of masters, publishing and catalog ownership.Then the conversation takes a turn toward the future.Tricky gives his unfiltered thoughts on AI in music, the ability to replicate an artist's sound, AI-generated music flooding streaming platforms, and why he believes the industry is already in "deep trouble."This is a conversation about hitmaking, creativity, ownership, artist development and the future of music.00:00:00 - Intro00:01:41 - Don Cannon Introduces Tricky Stewart00:03:03 - The Project Tricky Is Most Proud Of00:04:27 - The Producers Who Changed Tricky's Career00:06:34 - Finding Your Own Sound Without Being Predictable00:16:36 - Growing Up Around Gospel, Funk & Rock00:19:15 - The $1 Million It Used to Take to Enter Music00:20:15 - Why Tricky Quit Football at 1600:24:25 - Moving to LA With $15,00000:26:46 - Tricky Stewart Explains Where the Money Is00:29:12 - What Actually Makes a Hit Record?00:31:34 - How Tricky Stewart Discovered The-Dream00:34:52 - Making “Umbrella” & “Me Against the Music”00:36:20 - How Tricky Spots Superstar Talent00:42:11 - The Hidden Writers & Creatives Behind the Hits00:43:42 - Why Tricky Stewart Came to Atlanta00:47:30 - The Secret to Surviving the Music Business00:50:28 - Why Atlanta Has Been So Good to Tricky00:54:02 - Why Creatives Need to Build Their Personal Brand00:57:03 - The Importance of Consistency & Chemistry00:58:20 - Should You Sell Your Masters?01:00:48 - How to Actually Own Your Music01:01:49 - The Business of Music Catalogs01:04:22 - “I Think We're in Deep Trouble”: Tricky on AI01:05:36 - AI Can Replicate Your Sound01:08:02 - AI Is Changing the Music Industry Forever01:09:37 - Tricky Stewart's Next Chapter#musicindustry #artistdevelopment #aimusic #rihanna #beyoncé

West Coast legend Daz Dillinger sits down to share the untold stories behind the legendary run of Death Row Records. From sneaking into studios to help craft The Chronic, to swiping MPCs and learning production secrets directly from Dr. Dre, Daz breaks down the true origins of G-Funk. Hear firsthand how he came up with Snoop Dogg and exactly how he and Kurupt forged the iconic Dogg Pound.Whether you're a producer, engineer, artist, or simply obsessed with great music, this episode is packed with decades of knowledge from one of hip-hop's greatest sonic architects.00:00 - Intro: The legacy of Death Row Records11:53 - Learning from Dr. Dre & stealing the rented MPC drum machines13:46 - Growing up and trading hats with Snoop Dogg22:25 - Meeting Kurupt and the East Coast connection23:59 - The true origin story of The Dogg Pound name24:40 - Living together and making Dr. Dre's 'The Chronic'28:07 - The fun and wild sessions behind Snoop's 'Doggy Style'38:09 - Dr. Dre's secret production and drum mixing techniques43:21 - Sneaking into the studio with tin foil to use the mixing boards46:13 - Tupac joining Death Row & recording "Ambitionz Az a Ridah"52:17 - Creating "Big Pimpin" for the Above the Rim soundtrack01:05:12 - Breaking down the beat and production for "Big Pimpin"Follow Daz Dillinger📸 https://instagram.com/dazdillingerFollow us for more insights into hip hop history and music production:📸 https://instagram.com/tmronetwork📸 https://instagram.com/Doncannon🎽 Merch: https://shoptmro.com/#snoopdogg #drdre #doggpound

Grammy-winning mix engineer DURO joins BackTrak for one of the deepest conversations ever recorded about the art of engineering, producing, and building timeless records.Known for shaping the sound of classics from Jay-Z, The Roots, DMX, Erykah Badu, Kanye West, Pharrell, Mariah Carey, Fabolous, Frank Ocean, and countless others, DURO takes viewers inside the mindset that has made him one of the most respected engineers in music history.From growing up in a musical Trinidadian household to becoming one of New York's youngest elite engineers, DURO reflects on the evolution of hip-hop recording, the importance of trusting your ears over plugins, building Desert Storm, discovering Fabolous, working with DJ Clue, and why great mixes are meant to serve the artist, not the engineer.Whether you're a producer, engineer, artist, or simply obsessed with great music, this episode is packed with decades of knowledge from one of hip-hop's greatest sonic architects.00:00:00 - Intro00:01:29 - DURO's Legendary Career & The East Coast Sound00:09:56 - Building Desert Storm & Discovering Fabolous00:11:03 - Growing Up in a Musical Trinidadian Household00:18:17 - Becoming an Engineer Whose Name Artists Shouted Out00:23:33 - Breaking Into New York's Elite Studios00:46:36 - Working with Erykah Badu & Producing Early Records01:10:35 - Breaking Down Jay-Z & Frank Ocean's "Oceans"01:25:00 - Mixing Philosophy: EQ, Space & Dynamic Control01:36:40 - Plugins vs. Analog Gear: Trusting Your Ears01:43:59 - Vocal Processing, Delays & Creative Limitations01:47:42 - Retirement, Purpose & Choosing Meaningful Work01:48:22 - Why Dr. Dre Is Hip-Hop's Greatest PhilanthropistFollow Duro📸 https://instagram.com/duroceoFollow us for more insights into hip hop history and music production:📸 https://instagram.com/tmronetwork📸 https://instagram.com/Doncannon🎽 Merch: https://shoptmro.com/#jayz #fabolous #mixingengineer #producer