In this exclusive interview with Studio Talks, we sit down with the talented Polish music producer Hubi. Known for his remarkable work on the Vultures 1 album by Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign, Hubi shares his journey into the music industry, his creative process, and the experiences that have shaped his career. From early influences to collaborating with some of the biggest names in music, Hubi offers insight into what it takes to break through in the competitive world of production. This interview was conducted by Andrej Aroch via video call on December 8, 2024.
How did you first get interested in music, and what led you to pick up music production?
That’s a lot to unpack. First of all, I started listening to rap music around 2008 or 2010. My first step into music production happened in early high school. I downloaded FL Studio and opened a finished project of one of Martin Garrix’s tracks, I think. But after about 20 minutes, I closed it. I thought, "This isn’t for me," and deleted the program.
A couple of years later—two or three—I downloaded FL Studio again. This time, it was after I attended the Travis Scott festival in Poland, my home country. That experience ignited something in me. I felt like I had to make music, and beats felt like the perfect outlet for me. That was my real starting point. I began watching tutorials and experimenting. That’s how it all began, as far as I can remember.
Can you remember what inspired you back then? Did you have any mentors or people you looked up to when you started?
For sure, Metro Boomin was one of my first inspirations. Wondagurl and her beats on Rodeo. Timbaland, too—and I think Pharrell as well. It’s crazy to think that I get to work with Timbaland now.
Later on, when I got more into the drum side of things, OZ beats completely blew my mind. His work was magic—the rhythm, the taste, the way he approached drums. It was insane. To this day, he’s one of my biggest inspirations. I absolutely love his sound.
Can you remember some of your early placements? Or, in your opinion, what was the moment you thought, "Okay, I can make something out of music production"?
My early placements were with some Polish artists. At first, it was more of a hobby. But after a few years, I started earning some publishing money, and that’s when it clicked—I realized I could actually make a living from this. A lot of tracks started coming out with my beats, and it just snowballed from there.
What was your process for connecting with artists early in your career? Did you have a specific method for reaching out to people?
I wouldn’t say it was a specific method. I mostly searched for contact emails—manager emails, things like that. I also tried going to concerts to meet artists in person. As a small producer, you can’t just DM someone like Travis Scott, you know? So I focused on connecting with underground artists who were linked to bigger names.
I would look for manager contacts, send out emails, and hit up everyone in the music industry I could find. I’d send my beats, share samples, and try to collaborate with bigger producers. That’s how I worked on building connections with bigger artists over time.
What’s your opinion on new technologies in the music industry, particularly the use of AI in music production? Do you think it will impact the music scene, and is it a good thing?
That’s an interesting topic. I think, at the end of the day, listeners and artists really appreciate authentic music. It’s not just about the music itself—it’s the whole culture: the visuals, the stories, the emotions. Whether it’s pictures, books, or music, people value the authenticity behind them.
I tried using AI a few months ago, and it was fascinating. You can just type something like, “Create a moody R&B sample,” and it delivers it in five seconds. I know some people are worried about it, but for me, I just focus on making my music. I believe what I create is more authentic than what AI can generate.
You have two songs on the Vultures album by Ye. What’s the story behind making these tracks, and how did this whole project come together?
Yeah, so it all started with my guy SHDØW, my bro from my home country. He got in touch with Timbaland about two years ago and started sending him beats. Then, in November of last year, 2023, SHDØW got a message from Timbaland’s manager. They told him one of our beats had made it onto a track with Kanye. But, you know how it is with Kanye—it’s like, "Cool, you’ve got a track," but you never really know if it’s going to come out. So we were excited, but kept our expectations in check.
A couple of months later, Timbaland sent to SHDØW the acapella for “FUK SUMN” and asked him to create his own version. He brought me in, and we jumped on Discord around 4 a.m. to work on it together. In about four hours, we had our version of the track done. We went to sleep, and when we woke up around 11 a.m., we found out Kanye had already flown to Miami and played our version at a bar—just 10 hours after we finished it! Then they posted a tracklist with “FUK SUMN” and “KEYS TO MY LIFE” included.
The final version that got released was tweaked a bit from what we made, but that’s the story behind “FUK SUMN”. It was such a messy and surreal experience.
What was your process for connecting with artists early in your career? Did you have a specific method for reaching out to people?
I wouldn’t say it was a specific method. I mostly searched for contact emails—manager emails, things like that. I also tried going to concerts to meet artists in person. As a small producer, you can’t just DM someone like Travis Scott, you know? So I focused on connecting with underground artists who were linked to bigger names.
I would look for manager contacts, send out emails, and hit up everyone in the music industry I could find. I’d send my beats, share samples, and try to collaborate with bigger producers. That’s how I worked on building connections with bigger artists over time.
What’s your opinion on new technologies in the music industry, particularly the use of AI in music production? Do you think it will impact the music scene, and is it a good thing?
That’s an interesting topic. I think, at the end of the day, listeners and artists really appreciate authentic music. It’s not just about the music itself—it’s the whole culture: the visuals, the stories, the emotions. Whether it’s pictures, books, or music, people value the authenticity behind them.
I tried using AI a few months ago, and it was fascinating. You can just type something like, “Create a moody R&B sample,” and it delivers it in five seconds. I know some people are worried about it, but for me, I just focus on making my music. I believe what I create is more authentic than what AI can generate.
You have two songs on the Vultures album by Ye. What’s the story behind making these tracks, and how did this whole project come together?
Yeah, so it all started with my guy SHDØW, my bro from my home country. He got in touch with Timbaland about two years ago and started sending him beats. Then, in November of last year, 2023, SHDØW got a message from Timbaland’s manager. They told him one of our beats had made it onto a track with Kanye. But, you know how it is with Kanye—it’s like, "Cool, you’ve got a track," but you never really know if it’s going to come out. So we were excited, but kept our expectations in check.
A couple of months later, Timbaland sent to SHDØW the acapella for “FUK SUMN” and asked him to create his own version. He brought me in, and we jumped on Discord around 4 a.m. to work on it together. In about four hours, we had our version of the track done. We went to sleep, and when we woke up around 11 a.m., we found out Kanye had already flown to Miami and played our version at a bar—just 10 hours after we finished it! Then they posted a tracklist with “FUK SUMN” and “KEYS TO MY LIFE” included.
The final version that got released was tweaked a bit from what we made, but that’s the story behind “FUK SUMN”. It was such a messy and surreal experience.
What was your process for connecting with artists early in your career? Did you have a specific method for reaching out to people?
I wouldn’t say it was a specific method. I mostly searched for contact emails—manager emails, things like that. I also tried going to concerts to meet artists in person. As a small producer, you can’t just DM someone like Travis Scott, you know? So I focused on connecting with underground artists who were linked to bigger names.
I would look for manager contacts, send out emails, and hit up everyone in the music industry I could find. I’d send my beats, share samples, and try to collaborate with bigger producers. That’s how I worked on building connections with bigger artists over time.
What’s your opinion on new technologies in the music industry, particularly the use of AI in music production? Do you think it will impact the music scene, and is it a good thing?
That’s an interesting topic. I think, at the end of the day, listeners and artists really appreciate authentic music. It’s not just about the music itself—it’s the whole culture: the visuals, the stories, the emotions. Whether it’s pictures, books, or music, people value the authenticity behind them.
I tried using AI a few months ago, and it was fascinating. You can just type something like, “Create a moody R&B sample,” and it delivers it in five seconds. I know some people are worried about it, but for me, I just focus on making my music. I believe what I create is more authentic than what AI can generate.
You have two songs on the Vultures album by Ye. What’s the story behind making these tracks, and how did this whole project come together?
Yeah, so it all started with my guy SHDØW, my bro from my home country. He got in touch with Timbaland about two years ago and started sending him beats. Then, in November of last year, 2023, SHDØW got a message from Timbaland’s manager. They told him one of our beats had made it onto a track with Kanye. But, you know how it is with Kanye—it’s like, "Cool, you’ve got a track," but you never really know if it’s going to come out. So we were excited, but kept our expectations in check.
A couple of months later, Timbaland sent to SHDØW the acapella for “FUK SUMN” and asked him to create his own version. He brought me in, and we jumped on Discord around 4 a.m. to work on it together. In about four hours, we had our version of the track done. We went to sleep, and when we woke up around 11 a.m., we found out Kanye had already flown to Miami and played our version at a bar—just 10 hours after we finished it! Then they posted a tracklist with “FUK SUMN” and “KEYS TO MY LIFE” included.
The final version that got released was tweaked a bit from what we made, but that’s the story behind “FUK SUMN”. It was such a messy and surreal experience.
Is there another production of yours that holds a special place in your heart or stands out as a favorite project?
I’d say the placement with KayCyy called “Breaking Point” in 2022 was really special to me. It was my first placement in the U.S. with a bigger artist, and I’ve always admired KayCyy as an artist. That track had a big impact on my life—it was my first step into the U.S. industry, and it opened up a lot of contacts and opportunities for me.
But, if I had to pick the most important track of my career, it’s definitely “FUK SUMN.” That track brought together all my favorite artists in one place. Honestly, I couldn’t believe it. It felt like a childhood dream coming true. Back in high school, when I was just starting out in music, I could’ve never imagined something like this happening. So yeah, “FUK SUMN” is definitely the most important track I’ve worked on.
What advice would you give to new or up-and-coming producers who are trying to establish themselves in the industry and break through?
I know it might not sound original, but just work hard and enjoy making music. Collaborate with other producers, and you can learn a lot from those experiences. Invest in yourself—buy some gear and plugins. Find some underground artists in your local city or even your country, especially if you’re in a smaller country than the United States. Collaborate with them. It’s not complicated. Be consistent and make a lot of music. Most importantly, be yourself and be natural when you talk with other producers or artists—people will appreciate it in the future.
As a European producer, do you think it’s harder to break into the hip-hop scene compared to working from the United States, or do you think it's very much doable nowadays?
I do think it’s harder because you’re not physically in the U.S. industry. You can’t just hit up a studio with producers in the States and meet artists face-to-face. I’ve heard many stories about producers making beats in the studio and having someone like for example: Quavo work in the studio next to them.
However, we live in a time where the internet connects the entire industry. You can send beats and samples everywhere—on Instagram, Twitter, via email. But to stand out as a producer in the U.S., your music needs to be different. Your drums or melodies need to have a unique touch. There might be hundreds of other producers out there, but being distinctive can set you apart.
Is there an upcoming artist or producer you think will blow up in the next year or so?
Yeah, there are so many talented artists and producers out there. I can share a few producers I’ve worked with who I think have great potential. For example, Timothy Rufai—he’s signed to Sevn Thomas’ label NotSoFast. There’s Dylan Hyde, though he’s already pretty big. Then there’s my boy SHDØW, and another one, Veyis, who’s from Germany. Veyis and I worked together on the “KEYS TO MY LIFE” beat. I’m sure I’ve forgotten someone, but there are a lot of talented producers out there.
Honestly, you never know who’s going to blow up. Sometimes all it takes is one big placement or one breakout year. The key is to keep making music and staying consistent.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
First and foremost, I want to still be enjoying music and life. My goal is to be one of the best in industry. But the most important thing is to stay inspired and keep riding the fresh waves of creativity.
I want to collaborate with fantastic artists and producers, travel the world, and keep growing. Just enjoying life through music is everything to me. I truly appreciate being able to pay my rent and live off something I love doing. It’s such a beautiful thing.
If you could pick any artist to work with, who would be at the top of your list?
Man, I’ve already worked with some of my dream artists, like Kanye, Travis, and Carti. But if I had to choose someone else, I’d say Kendrick Lamar, Baby Keem or Drake—he’s still doing crazy numbers, so working with him would be amazing as well.
Is there anything you’d like to add at the end of the interview?
To everyone out there, enjoy the music and work hard. If you stay consistent, you’ll get to the top. I promise you that.
Follow Hubi on Instagram: @realhubi
