Exclusive Interview
Oct 12, 2025
Produced by: Rudy Manager
Edited by: Rudy Manager & Andrej Aroch
FadedBlacKid - Neila World Founder Shaping the Underground Trap Sound
FadedBlacKid, the founder and CEO of the influential music collective Neila World, has built a reputation as a true visionary with a sharp ear for the underground. From producing Lil Pump’s “What U Sayin’” to collaborating with standout talents, his work captures both the grit and innovation of today’s trap sound. In this exclusive Studio Talks interview, he reflects on his journey from rapping in high school to starting Neila World, shares insights into his creative process, and offers his perspective on the future of production and his vision for what lies ahead. This conversation was conducted by Rudy Manager via video call on September 9, 2025.
“Every producer should put out projects that represent them.”
- FadedBlacKid
Can you share how you first became interested in music and how that eventually led you to start producing?
I’ve always loved music, even when I was a kid. I knew early on that I wanted to be a rapper, but that lane didn’t really work out for me. Since I didn’t know how to get beats, I had to figure out how to make my own so I had something to rap on. I think I first heard about FL Studio from either Tyler, the Creator or Soulja Boy. I can’t remember exactly, but it was back in those early days. That’s basically what pushed me to start producing.
Back then, before everything was streaming, you had to actually download music online and save it to your phone. I would always see “Produced by” followed by someone’s name and wonder what that meant. For some reason, I wanted to see my name there as well. It just looked cool to me.
When did you start producing music?
I don’t know the exact year, to be honest, but it was definitely when I was in 10th grade. At first, I was just making beats without really taking it too seriously, and honestly I wasn’t very good. So I ended up quitting for a while. When I was a junior and then especially during my senior year, I started to come back to it. About two months before I graduated high school, I really began to take it more seriously. I would say 2016 was when I actually started locking in on production.
What was your process for improving? Did you have any mentors, did you learn from YouTube, or was it with your friends?
A big part of it was making music with people I knew back then, a lot of it through the internet. That’s really how I started getting better. YouTube also played a huge role too. I used to watch Internet Money tutorials and similar content to pick up techniques. Sometimes I would download an FLP of a popular song to see how it was structured and put together. Doing things like that really helped me grow as a producer.
Before you started Neila World, what was your daily routine like? Did you have other jobs outside of music, or what else were you doing at the time?
Before Neila World, I only had one job. I was working at Publix while I was in high school, but not for long. During my last year of school, I really started taking music seriously, and not long after that I launched Neila. I actually started Neila the same year.
When you made the beat, did you know it was a special one, or did that come later?
Honestly, I thought that beat was trash. It was just a simple piano beat, and I was lowkey ashamed of it. I’m still not really a fan of it to this day. It’s cool, but in my mind I knew I could make something way crazier than that. So it’s funny that out of everything, that was the beat that ended up getting used.
How do you like to start an idea from scratch? When you open your DAW, what’s the first thing you usually do?
It’s definitely a process. First I have to get fried. That’s part of my routine. Then I’ll listen to some music to get in the right zone before I even open FL. If I’m starting something from scratch, I might pull up Serum and just start experimenting until something clicks. A lot of the time I work with my guy Skii. He sends me a ton of ideas and loops, and I’ll just go through those zip files in FL Studio and start knocking them out one by one. That’s my process now. I mostly just go with what I feel in the moment, because a lot of the time I can already hear where the beat should go once I start.
What are some of your favorite VSTs or pieces of hardware?
Honestly, I keep it pretty simple. Serum is one of my favorites, and I use Electra a lot too. Another one I really like is Hive. Those are my go-to VSTs when I’m cooking something up.
Do you mostly work in the box, or do you also use hardware?
I mostly work on the computer. Sometimes I’ll use a little MIDI keyboard, but I’m not really into using synths or other hardware. That’s just not me, even though I know a lot of other producers do it.
In your opinion, what makes a great trap beat?
It really comes down to the vibe. There are so many different types of trap beats, and I feel like it depends a lot on your mood at the time. Something might hit differently one day compared to another, so it’s not always about one formula. One thing for sure is that a trap beat has to have a strong 808 and a solid pattern.
What advice would you give to upcoming producers who are just starting out and want to work with established artists?
I would say focus on crafting your own sound. You can make beats that sound like everyone else, but eventually that wave is going to get played out because the original creators of that style will always have an edge. You can go crazy with it, don’t get me wrong, but you’re not going to outdo them. For example, trying to be better than Pi’erre Bourne at making Pi’erre-type beats is not possible. He’s always going to think about things in a way you won’t, and he’ll always be a step ahead.
What you can do is develop your own sound. That’s what will make you stand out to artists, because they get tired of hearing the same beats again and again. When you bring something different to the table, they’ll notice. At the same time, make sure your beats are still rap-able.
What’s your opinion on “type beats”? Is it still a thing in 2025?
Type beats are always going to be a thing. You can still make money from them on YouTube, and I’m sure there are people who are doing really well with that lane even now. If that’s what you want to do, then go for it, because it might be the right path for you. I’m not against it at all. I don’t really do type beats myself, but I’ve posted some on YouTube before and there’s nothing wrong with it. At the same time, I think it’s better in the long run to craft your own sound, unless your goal is to specifically be a “type beat” producer and build your career around that.
Is there a production of yours that feels especially close to your heart?
Yeah, but honestly most of them are beats that people haven’t heard. I might have posted a snippet here and there, but they’re not full songs with rappers on them. It’s usually beats I made when I was in a certain mood, and those end up being my favorites. One of my homies rapped on one of those, but for the most part, my favorite beats are ones the public hasn’t heard yet.
What’s your opinion on producers’ albums, and is that something you want to do as well?
Back when I was dropping music on SoundCloud, I was already doing that kind of thing. I think it’s fire and honestly every producer should strive to put out their own projects. Even if it’s only with artists from your city, it’s still dope because you’re putting in the effort and creating something that represents you. As a producer, you have to find ways to stand out since there are so many out here now. Look at someone like Metro Boomin. He drops albums he fully produced, and it sets him apart. That’s the kind of mindset you need to have.
What do you think about AI in music production?
I feel like eventually there’s nothing anyone can really say about it. Right now it is brand new to us, but 200 years from now, when it’s way more advanced, it will probably feel completely normal to the kids growing up then. They will not think anything different of it. Music and life in general are about adjusting, and if you don’t adjust you’ll be left behind and late to the train. That is just how it is.
I haven’t personally used AI in my music, but I’m not against it. If someone sent me a loop and it had AI vocals in it, I would not care. The only thing I’d say is don’t use AI to make something and then lie about it like you created the beat from scratch. That is weird. If you use it to get some chords or a little vocal, that is cool, I am not tripping about that. But if you make an entire beat with AI and then go around saying you produced it, that’s lame.
What music do you listen to in your free time?
I listen to a lot of different stuff, mainly different styles within trap. On the SoundCloud side, I mess with artists like Sk8star and Nine Vicious, and I listen to BloodHound Q50 too. Outside of that, it’s more of the usual mainstream stuff like Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Durk. Honestly, I spend a lot of time listening to my bros. I definitely play their music more than anybody else’s.
What’s your vision for Neila World, and how do you see it evolving over the next few years?
Honestly, I feel like it’s just going to keep growing. I started Neila World back in 2016 and at that time nobody really knew about it. A lot of people are only now hearing about it, and we’re almost ten years in. That shows me there’s still so much more to unpack and build on. For that reason alone I believe it will continue to grow. The vision is to keep expanding, to become stronger, and to keep pushing the collective forward.
Do you also want to work on collective albums?
Yeah, definitely. I want to do that, and I know we will when the time is right. We actually did it before a few years ago, so if you look on our Apple Music, you can find one project we already put out. It’s just about timing now, but we’re definitely going to do another one.
Where do you see yourself in five years, both personally and in your career?
For my career, I want to be one of the names in the music game that people automatically think of when they list top producers. You know how you can name five producers off the top of your head right now? I want to be one of those names in five years. I don’t have to be the biggest or the craziest, but I want to be a producer people definitely know. I also want to have my own signature sound that sets me apart.
On a personal level, I want to see Neila World grow into something major, the way people look at 808 Mafia. That’s a big part of my vision moving forward.
Are there any upcoming producers you think will blow up, either from Neila World or in general, in the coming months?
The hardest producer I know right now is Skii, like I mentioned earlier. I work with him a lot. Hosu is really hard. He’s not really upcoming anymore, but 2C has his own wave and is definitely talented. Inside Neila World, people like Mightbejohn are crazy too. Honestly, there are a lot of producers in Neila that most people probably haven’t even heard yet, but their music is fire. People just need to tap in and listen to what they are doing.
What about artists?
seventhirtyatmorning is fire. I feel like he’s about to blow up soon. If you haven’t heard him yet, you should definitely check his music out. His sound is wavy, and he’s been dropping on SoundCloud. Another one is 1300Saint, who I think is going to go crazy. Sk8star too, I feel like he’s got one of the best flows in the underground right now. And then my boy 2C and Heed, who’ve been putting in work. I see them going up as well.
Is there anything else you’d like to talk about?
Not really, but my boy Heed is about to drop an album, and I’ve got a good amount of songs on it. That project’s going to be crazy, so definitely keep an eye out for it.
Follow FadedBlacKid on Instagram: @fadedblackid
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