[EXCLUSIVE] Interview with Boi-1da

Posted on February 11, 2010 by Sajae

Having produced for some of Hip-Hop’s biggest & brightest, Matthew Samuels b.k.a Boi-1da capped off the decade in a way most could only dream of. Working on the most anticipated album of 2010, Drake’s Thank Me Later , this Toronto-raised producer is about to be real busy. Not even a name mis-print could take away from being named #6 on the Billboard Top Producers of 2009. The Grammy-Nominated hit-maker behind Forever & Best I Ever Had talks awards, proteges and thinking outside the box.

Peep the interview after the jump

Sajae for iLuvLola.net: You started making music at a young age, was it always in your plan to be where you are now?

Boi-1da: Funny thing is , when I was young, growing up I always wanted to be a movie director or writer of movie scripts; just because I had a big imagination and I always had amazing ideas for movies. But as I grew older my sister started playing a lot of music, and that’s when I really got familiar with it and found out it was what I love the most.

ILL: When did you know that you were actually good enough at this to make it your career?

Boi-1da: Well I used to go to Pickering High, and I was known as the kid who always beat boxed and made beats at school, so a friend told me about a competition in Toronto called Battle of The Beatmakers. I signed up for the competition and went there for the first time when I was 17 years old, and won 3 years in a row, in 3 different categories. So after all of that is when I really figured out that I can go places with my music.

ILL: Describe your production style. Would you compare it to anyone else’s?

Boi-1da: I can’t really describe my production style sound-wise, because I love to do different things. I don’t just stick to doing one genre of music. I do R&B, Hip-Hop, Pop ect. Pretty much everything. I just love music in general. The only thing I can say is what I strive hardest on is the quality of music and I make sure that my music is always hard hitting and loud.

ILL: What’s the creative process when making a beat?

Boi-1da: It varies at times. Sometimes it will come from a random sound or an idea I get from watching a movie or TV show.

ILL: Congrats on Best I Ever Had being #1 on the Billboard Rap charts. Was that unexpected for you?

Boi-1da: Thank you! I always knew the song was a smash hit from the first time I heard it, but I never knew that it would go as far as it did, especially being a song off a mixtape. So it was unexpected and not unexpected at the same time.

ILL: Do you feel like that will “put you on” on an international level?

Boi-1da: Not put me on, but it has made a small dent for me, and it’s my job to keep it consistent by riding the wave and coming with more smash hits to solidify me as the A-list producer that I strive to be.

ILL: Time to name drop. Give us a few artists that you’ve worked with.

Boi-1da: Rich Boy, The Game, Drake, Trey Songz, Rock City, Kardinal Offishall, Busta Rhymes, Nipsey Hustle, Andre 3000 although I never met him, Sean Garrett, Polow da Don and a lot more people coming soon.

ILL: How did it feel when Kardinal Offishal’s album Not 4 Sale, that you worked on; won a Juno Award?

Boi-1da: It felt great! I was like yeah I can put Juno Award Winning beside my name! [Laughs] A lot of hard work went into doing those beats, and It felt good representing for my country on a major scale times 4! [Laughs]

ILL: What ran through your mind when you heard about the Grammy nominations?

Boi-1da: I think back to when we were recording out of a rat-infested studio & all the hard work we put in [to the mixtape]. It’s all paying off now.

ILL: We spoke a few years ago about the issues in the Canadian urban music industry, and what was hindering it. What are your thoughts on how it stands now?

Boi-1da: My thoughts on it now are people are finally getting the picture that, we as a country, as a city wherever we are in Canada has to support the music. I think people are moving out of this “clique” mentality and finally coming together as one.

ILL: As you mentioned already, you were involved in Battle Of The Beatmakers for a number of years, is that something you’re still apart of in some capacity?

Boi-1da: Well, I’d never go back in another beat battle, unless it’s Toronto vs. Wherever, but I am involved in some of them. They called me to be a judge at the very last one, they helped me out a lot. So anything they need from me I’d always be there to help and support if I can.

ILL: For other producers trying to come up, what words of advice would you give them from what you’ve already learned? Be it about the industry or the craft itself.

Boi-1da: My words would be, musically be yourself, keep your ears open to new things and don’t only listen to one kind of music, or else you will be limited. As well, do not just try and work with the biggest names, always keep an ear open and try to develop artists because you never know who is going to be the next “one”.

ILL: Where do you see yourself in 20 years career-wise?

Boi-1da: I see myself comfortable, why you say? Because I refuse to be anything less than that.

ILL: Do you ever see yourself in that producer-protege role, helping to develop someone’s whole sound? Like a Timbaland-Aaliyah, Jazze Pha-Ciara type thing?

Boi-1da: Yes I do, that’s just because I love doing that and experimenting, whereas if you work with someone who has their sound already, you have to cater to it.

ILL: Name 3 people you’d love to work with of any genre.

Boi-1da: Keri Hilson, Alicia Keys and Lacrae

ILL: What other projects are you currently working on?

Boi-1da: Right now I’m solely focused on making Drake’s album a classic album as of right now, so that’s all I can say, but be on the look out for a bunch of stuff coming through. [note: Thank Me Later is currently set to drop in March]

ILL: Any final words or shoutouts?

Boi-1da: Shoutout to all of Toronto, The Remix Project, All Things Fresh, Octobers Very Own, and iLuvLola.net!

Follow @Boi1da on twitter
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