Daniel East: “Success starts with loving the process”

Daniel East, a multi-talented music producer and artist, has made a significant impact on the industry through collaborations with artists like Drake, 21 Savage, Future, and Young Thug. Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, and later moving to Naples, Florida, East began his journey as a sample-based producer, drawing inspiration from legends like J Dilla, Pete Rock, and DJ Premier. This article delves into Daniel East’s evolution from his early days to his breakthrough with the hit track "All Da Smoke," and his continued success with Kingsway Music Library and beyond, offering valuable insights for aspiring producers looking to carve out a successful career in today’s competitive music landscape.

How did you first get interested in music and music production?

Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. It began when I was five or six years old, watching my father play the saxophone. Growing up in early 2000s New York, I was heavily influenced by the music my older siblings, who were 13 years ahead of me, listened to. They exposed me to '90s music like Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, and Jay-Z’s “Blueprint” era, as well as R&B from artists like Aaliyah, Destiny's Child, and Alicia Keys. My mother, being Hispanic, also introduced me to salsa and bachata, which added to the unique and diverse musical palette I developed.

When I was 10, my family moved from Brooklyn to Naples, Florida. Shortly after the move, I visited New York again, and that’s when I first became interested in music production. My older cousin, who was a music producer, was making beats on an MPC connected to FL Studio. Seeing him create a beat sparked my interest immediately. As soon as I got back to Florida, I bugged my brother to install FL Studio, and once I started, I never looked back. FL Studio is still my go-to DAW.

When you first started producing, what was your process of finding artists for your beats or samples?

When I first started producing around 10 or 11 years old, my focus was on getting to a place where I could make good beats. The first five or six years were heavily influenced by the music I was introduced to early in life. I was deep into sample-based production, chopping and looping records, and going through phases where I mimicked different producers like J Dilla, DJ Premier, 9th Wonder, RZA, and Pete Rock—guys who paved the way in the music I was listening to.

Since I started young, I didn’t really begin working with artists until the latter part of high school. Around 16 or 17, I started getting involved with the local music scene in Florida, connecting with artists from my high school. It was a big local thing initially, and I was heavily into the SoundCloud era. SoundCloud played a huge role in my early career, helping me get intertwined with the producing community and eventually leading me to start my professional career in Toronto, Canada.

One of the main artists I worked with back then was a singer named Lou Val from Toronto, whom I connected with on SoundCloud. We started collaborating, which eventually led to me going out to Toronto. Looking back at the 2015-2016 era, it's incredible to see how those early relationships I built through SoundCloud have lasted. I'm still good friends with those people today, and it's always a pleasure to reflect on that journey.

Daniel East, a multi-talented music producer and artist, has made a significant impact on the industry through collaborations with artists like Drake, 21 Savage, Future, and Young Thug. Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, and later moving to Naples, Florida, East began his journey as a sample-based producer, drawing inspiration from legends like J Dilla, Pete Rock, and DJ Premier. This article delves into Daniel East’s evolution from his early days to his breakthrough with the hit track "All Da Smoke," and his continued success with Kingsway Music Library and beyond, offering valuable insights for aspiring producers looking to carve out a successful career in today’s competitive music landscape.

How did you first get interested in music and music production?

Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. It began when I was five or six years old, watching my father play the saxophone. Growing up in early 2000s New York, I was heavily influenced by the music my older siblings, who were 13 years ahead of me, listened to. They exposed me to '90s music like Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, and Jay-Z’s “Blueprint” era, as well as R&B from artists like Aaliyah, Destiny's Child, and Alicia Keys. My mother, being Hispanic, also introduced me to salsa and bachata, which added to the unique and diverse musical palette I developed.

When I was 10, my family moved from Brooklyn to Naples, Florida. Shortly after the move, I visited New York again, and that’s when I first became interested in music production. My older cousin, who was a music producer, was making beats on an MPC connected to FL Studio. Seeing him create a beat sparked my interest immediately. As soon as I got back to Florida, I bugged my brother to install FL Studio, and once I started, I never looked back. FL Studio is still my go-to DAW.

When you first started producing, what was your process of finding artists for your beats or samples?

When I first started producing around 10 or 11 years old, my focus was on getting to a place where I could make good beats. The first five or six years were heavily influenced by the music I was introduced to early in life. I was deep into sample-based production, chopping and looping records, and going through phases where I mimicked different producers like J Dilla, DJ Premier, 9th Wonder, RZA, and Pete Rock—guys who paved the way in the music I was listening to.

Since I started young, I didn’t really begin working with artists until the latter part of high school. Around 16 or 17, I started getting involved with the local music scene in Florida, connecting with artists from my high school. It was a big local thing initially, and I was heavily into the SoundCloud era. SoundCloud played a huge role in my early career, helping me get intertwined with the producing community and eventually leading me to start my professional career in Toronto, Canada.

One of the main artists I worked with back then was a singer named Lou Val from Toronto, whom I connected with on SoundCloud. We started collaborating, which eventually led to me going out to Toronto. Looking back at the 2015-2016 era, it's incredible to see how those early relationships I built through SoundCloud have lasted. I'm still good friends with those people today, and it's always a pleasure to reflect on that journey.

Daniel East, a multi-talented music producer and artist, has made a significant impact on the industry through collaborations with artists like Drake, 21 Savage, Future, and Young Thug. Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, and later moving to Naples, Florida, East began his journey as a sample-based producer, drawing inspiration from legends like J Dilla, Pete Rock, and DJ Premier. This article delves into Daniel East’s evolution from his early days to his breakthrough with the hit track "All Da Smoke," and his continued success with Kingsway Music Library and beyond, offering valuable insights for aspiring producers looking to carve out a successful career in today’s competitive music landscape.

How did you first get interested in music and music production?

Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. It began when I was five or six years old, watching my father play the saxophone. Growing up in early 2000s New York, I was heavily influenced by the music my older siblings, who were 13 years ahead of me, listened to. They exposed me to '90s music like Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, and Jay-Z’s “Blueprint” era, as well as R&B from artists like Aaliyah, Destiny's Child, and Alicia Keys. My mother, being Hispanic, also introduced me to salsa and bachata, which added to the unique and diverse musical palette I developed.

When I was 10, my family moved from Brooklyn to Naples, Florida. Shortly after the move, I visited New York again, and that’s when I first became interested in music production. My older cousin, who was a music producer, was making beats on an MPC connected to FL Studio. Seeing him create a beat sparked my interest immediately. As soon as I got back to Florida, I bugged my brother to install FL Studio, and once I started, I never looked back. FL Studio is still my go-to DAW.

When you first started producing, what was your process of finding artists for your beats or samples?

When I first started producing around 10 or 11 years old, my focus was on getting to a place where I could make good beats. The first five or six years were heavily influenced by the music I was introduced to early in life. I was deep into sample-based production, chopping and looping records, and going through phases where I mimicked different producers like J Dilla, DJ Premier, 9th Wonder, RZA, and Pete Rock—guys who paved the way in the music I was listening to.

Since I started young, I didn’t really begin working with artists until the latter part of high school. Around 16 or 17, I started getting involved with the local music scene in Florida, connecting with artists from my high school. It was a big local thing initially, and I was heavily into the SoundCloud era. SoundCloud played a huge role in my early career, helping me get intertwined with the producing community and eventually leading me to start my professional career in Toronto, Canada.

One of the main artists I worked with back then was a singer named Lou Val from Toronto, whom I connected with on SoundCloud. We started collaborating, which eventually led to me going out to Toronto. Looking back at the 2015-2016 era, it's incredible to see how those early relationships I built through SoundCloud have lasted. I'm still good friends with those people today, and it's always a pleasure to reflect on that journey.

Your first major credit was "All Da Smoke" with Future and Young Thug in 2017. How did that opportunity come about, and what was the experience like working on that track?

The opportunity came about when a producer from Atlanta named Richie Souf posted on Twitter asking for samples. I sent him a pack of about 10 samples, and within 30 minutes, he got back to me. That led to an ongoing working relationship where I sent him new samples every two to three days for about six months. My consistency helped me land the "All Da Smoke" record, where I contributed the melodies, sample, pianos, and flutes.

I found out I was on the album during a week I had evacuated Florida due to a hurricane. It was incredible news—landing the main single on Future and Young Thug collab album.

"All Da Smoke" became a cultural moment in hip-hop. The phrase "all da smoke" blew up in sports and hip-hop culture, and it’s still used today, even inspiring a podcast by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. Whenever I hear that phrase, it brings me back to that moment and that record.

This track was my first major credit and a big boost for my career. At 19, producing for Future and Young Thug validated my samples and compositions. It set a strong path for what I would do next, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.

Your first major credit was "All Da Smoke" with Future and Young Thug in 2017. How did that opportunity come about, and what was the experience like working on that track?

The opportunity came about when a producer from Atlanta named Richie Souf posted on Twitter asking for samples. I sent him a pack of about 10 samples, and within 30 minutes, he got back to me. That led to an ongoing working relationship where I sent him new samples every two to three days for about six months. My consistency helped me land the "All Da Smoke" record, where I contributed the melodies, sample, pianos, and flutes.

I found out I was on the album during a week I had evacuated Florida due to a hurricane. It was incredible news—landing the main single on Future and Young Thug collab album.

"All Da Smoke" became a cultural moment in hip-hop. The phrase "all da smoke" blew up in sports and hip-hop culture, and it’s still used today, even inspiring a podcast by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. Whenever I hear that phrase, it brings me back to that moment and that record.

This track was my first major credit and a big boost for my career. At 19, producing for Future and Young Thug validated my samples and compositions. It set a strong path for what I would do next, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.

Your first major credit was "All Da Smoke" with Future and Young Thug in 2017. How did that opportunity come about, and what was the experience like working on that track?

The opportunity came about when a producer from Atlanta named Richie Souf posted on Twitter asking for samples. I sent him a pack of about 10 samples, and within 30 minutes, he got back to me. That led to an ongoing working relationship where I sent him new samples every two to three days for about six months. My consistency helped me land the "All Da Smoke" record, where I contributed the melodies, sample, pianos, and flutes.

I found out I was on the album during a week I had evacuated Florida due to a hurricane. It was incredible news—landing the main single on Future and Young Thug collab album.

"All Da Smoke" became a cultural moment in hip-hop. The phrase "all da smoke" blew up in sports and hip-hop culture, and it’s still used today, even inspiring a podcast by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. Whenever I hear that phrase, it brings me back to that moment and that record.

This track was my first major credit and a big boost for my career. At 19, producing for Future and Young Thug validated my samples and compositions. It set a strong path for what I would do next, and I’m grateful for the opportunity.

Exclusive Interview

Daniel East: “Success starts with loving the process”

How did you first get interested in music and music production?

When you first started producing, what was your process of finding artists for your beats or samples?

How did you first get interested in music and music production?

When you first started producing, what was your process of finding artists for your beats or samples?

How did you first get interested in music and music production?

When you first started producing, what was your process of finding artists for your beats or samples?

Your first major credit was "All Da Smoke" with Future and Young Thug in 2017. How did that opportunity come about, and what was the experience like working on that track?

Your first major credit was "All Da Smoke" with Future and Young Thug in 2017. How did that opportunity come about, and what was the experience like working on that track?

Your first major credit was "All Da Smoke" with Future and Young Thug in 2017. How did that opportunity come about, and what was the experience like working on that track?

You've created sample packs for Kingsway Music Library. How did you get connected with Frank Dukes and Kingsway?

What steps would you recommend for young producers and composers looking to leverage samples to start earning money?

Do you have any final thoughts to add?

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