Exclusive Interview
Oct 9, 2024
Produced by: Andrej Aroch
Edited by: Rudy Manager & Andrej Aroch
G. Ry - “Calling My Phone” by Lil Tjay feat. 6LACK proved to me that once you master your niche, the sky’s the limit.
Ryan Martinez, professionally known as G. Ry, stands out as a phenomenal talent in the music industry. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake. In an exclusive interview with Studio Talks, we explore the journey of a music producer who has made an indelible mark on contemporary music. G. Ry has not only shaped the sound of R&B, contributing to hit tracks such as “Laugh Now Cry Later” by Drake feat. Lil Durk, as well as Lil Tjay’s “Calling My Phone” feat. 6LACK. As he notes, “If you reach for the stars, you may not hit them, but you’ll end up somewhere close,” encapsulating the spirit of perseverance that fuels his remarkable career.
How did you first get interested in music and music production in general?
Growing up, I was a big fan of hip-hop. From day one, everything was about hip-hop for me. My first album was Dr. Dre - 2001. I was a huge G-Unit and Dipset fan, so hip-hop was really important to me. Everyone knew that about me growing up, even as a young kid. I always knew I wanted to do something with music, but I didn’t know exactly what it was going to be. I just knew I wanted to work behind the scenes in music.
Then, when I met my big brothers, Chase N. Cashe and Hit-Boy, in 2007, I saw them working on FL Studio, making beats. That’s when I had an epiphany: I wanted to be doing this. I saw them already doing it at a big level, and that was the genesis of my inspiration to pursue producing as a career.
What was your approach to improving your music production in the beginning? Did you use YouTube, have any mentors, or attend any institutions?
My mentors, as I mentioned, were Chase N. Cashe and Hit-Boy. My approach was to study so many producers’ beats. Back in the day, we had instrumental mixtapes that J. Armz used to put out. I would listen to all the instrumentals, and I also listened to all of Chase and Hit-Boy's beats. I became more of a student first, more than anything. I studied music really hard.
When it came to making my own beats, I just tried my best to sound like them while putting my own twist on it. At the same time, I tried not to sound terrible—because, believe it or not, my first beats were so bad that my friends, Chase N. Cashe and Hit-Boy, had to sit me down and tell me they were terrible, but that I had potential. They gave me pointers here and there. My biggest motivation was to impress them and not sound terrible, just to keep getting better. That was my approach. As long as I kept improving, that kept motivating me to continue.
I heard you mentioned in a previous interview that your breakthrough was when you did a song with Nipsey Hussle. Can you share the story of how that came together?
Long live Nipsey Hussle. I had the pleasure of working with him, and I don’t know if many people know this, but I was a huge Nipsey Hussle fan coming up. I really wanted to work with him and produce for him. I got in contact with him through a mutual friend, sending him beats. He would take his time making his records, and he told me that I didn’t need to send beats in large packs, like how producers usually send packs. He would say, "Just send them as you go."
At first, I didn’t understand why he told me that, but then I realized he took his time with each record. He didn’t need a lot of beats at once—just that one beat that he could write to. One day, I was working with my Surf Club bro, B. Carr, and we made a beat together. I emailed it to Nipsey that same day. As soon as I sent the email, he read it, replied right away, and said, "This beat is DOA," meaning "death on arrival." He told me he loved it.
A couple of weeks later, he hit me up to bring him the file for the beat. It took me a long time to get to the studio because I didn’t have my own car, but when I finally got there, he played the song for me. Man, I was in awe. I was listening, eyes closed, just bobbing to the music, and out of nowhere, he nudged me and said, "This is gonna be the song all the b***hes are gonna love." I was like, "Yeah, let’s get it!" I was so excited.
That’s pretty much how it all came about. It’s not a crazy story, but looking back, everything about it was special.
What’s your creative process like when you start a song from scratch?
It’s based on how I’m feeling and what’s inspiring me at the moment, musically. I always try to top that—outdo what I did the day before or what I’ve been doing. I challenge myself because sometimes I catch myself repeating the same thing over and over. Once I notice that, I try to shake it off and approach it with a fresh perspective.
When I sit down, I aim to not make the same thing over and over. I focus on creating something new, whether it’s a new style, a new bounce, or something that sparks inspiration. Ultimately, it’s all about staying inspired.
You’ve been a close collaborator with PARTYNEXTDOOR for a long time now. How did you guys first meet, and how did the collaboration start?
It actually started with Hit-Boy. He was working with PARTYNEXTDOOR early on—before he even went by that name as PARTYNEXTDOOR. He was just using his real name, Jahron B. He did a song over a beat that Hit-Boy and I made, and I was really excited about it. So, I followed up with Jahron through the email he had sent us, and I hit him back with some more beats. We also connected on Twitter, tweeting back and forth, just small exchanges here and there.
I knew he was from Toronto, and he was so talented that I thought it was only a matter of time before he blew up. I assumed he already knew Drake and his team, but he didn’t at the time. I was working with them. I already had my own relationship with Drake, and Surf Club had its own relationship with him as well.
Eventually, Jahron did a complete 180 with his artistry and re-emerged as PARTYNEXTDOOR. That’s when we reconnected.
You mentioned you knew Drake and had a relationship with him even before you met PARTYNEXTDOOR. How did you first get involved with Drake?
Yes, like I said, my mentor and big bro, Chase N. Cashe, was really good friends with Drake. They were both coming up in the music game around the same time. Chase introduced Drake to Hit-Boy, and then he introduced Drake to all of us in Surf Club. Drake just took a liking to us. He had a lot of respect for Chase, so he gave us the same respect.
This was back in early 2009, before So Far Gone had even dropped. Every time Drake came to LA, I was always with Chase, and Chase would go link up with him. I was there for it all—a quiet kid in the room, soaking it all in. Drake was always so nice to me.
Over time, I finally mustered up the courage to tell him I made beats. He let me send him some, and he was always kind and showed a lot of love. That’s how our relationship started.
One of the most popular and notable tracks you have is with Drake, "Laugh Now Cry Later," feat. Lil Durk. Can you share the story behind the creation of this song?
I didn’t know about the song until two days before it came out. I got a text from a Toronto number, with a video link that had a password, and I had no idea what was going on. I clicked on the video, and I was still kind of confused. So, I texted the number back and asked, "Who’s this?" He replied, "The Boy."
And after that, it all clicked. I realized it was Drake, and I was like, "Wow, this is crazy." That’s pretty much how it came about—it was so random. Sometimes things just happen like that.
Do you have a song of yours that holds a special place in your heart or that you value highly for any reason?
That’s a great question because I do—I actually have more than one. But I’ll say “Calling My Phone” by Lil Tjay feat. 6LACK. Not just because it’s a big hit, but because it epitomizes my production style to a T. It embodies everything I’m known for. It has the vibe, my drums, that dark and mysterious feel, but still with a bright color to it. It really captures my signature sound, and I’m so proud of that song.
Plus, it was a big hit, and for a long time, I didn’t think I could make a hit at 105 BPM. I always thought I’d need to create a super-fast club banger to get a hit, but that song proved to me that once you master your niche, the sky’s the limit. It can go as big as you want it to. You just have to master what you’re great at and put that out into the universe, because that’s what it’s all about.
What music do you usually listen to in your free time? Do you have any favorite artists?
I love Future. I’ve got Mixtape Pluto by Future on repeat right now. Aside from that, I’m a big fan of Drake, and I listen to PARTYNEXTDOOR a lot because I’m also a fan of his music. Right now, I’m really into Hunxho, and I still love and play Nipsey Hussle regularly. I also really enjoy Young Thug and Lil Baby.
How do you see R&B evolving in the next few years, and what role do you think producers like you will play in shaping its future sound?
I believe producers will play a major role because we provide the canvas for R&B. The genre is on the rise, especially with a lot of new talent coming out. For example, Leon Thomas just dropped an incredible project that showcases musicality and instrumentation. I think R&B is heading in that direction, along with the new digital wave. The digital wave isn’t going anywhere, and it will significantly influence R&B music as well.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming producers trying to build a name for themselves and start working with artists?
You need to work with people at your same level. Working and building with others who are at your level is the cheat code. In three, four, or five years, those people are going to be the new wave, and that’s your best bet. It’s pointless to focus on trying to get to the top artists right now if you’re not there yet. You should concentrate on collaborating with those on your level because, like I said, the next four or five years will bring a new class of talent, and you’ll want to be tapped into that.
Can you share some of your plans for the rest of the year?
I plan to produce more music for Hunxho and hopefully more for PARTYNEXTDOOR as well. But honestly, producing can be a bit scary because you never really know what’s going to happen. I’m optimistic about those two projects, but for now, I’ll just keep working. That’s really all you can do in this climate.
Do you have any final words or remarks you would like to add to the interview?
I just want to say that there’s nothing hard work and perseverance can’t achieve. It may sound cliché, but working every day and pushing through whatever life throws at you is essential. I’ve seen a lot of kids talk about how challenging things can be right now, and that’s really what it’s all about—getting through those tough times and persevering. That’s the only way to make it. Many people don’t make it because they give up. But if you keep working, something will happen. If you reach for the stars, you may not hit them, but you’ll end up somewhere close.
Follow G. Ry on Instagram: @grygotme
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