Exclusive Interview
May 8, 2025
Produced by: Andrej Aroch
Edited by: Rudy Manager & Andrej Aroch
!llmind – “I treat the process of making music like one big experiment”
In this exclusive Studio Talks interview, we sit down with Grammy-winning superproducer !llmind—whose credits include J. Cole, Drake, Eminem, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and more—for a wide-ranging conversation that dives deep into his creative process, career-defining moments, and philosophy on navigating the ever-changing music industry. From breaking down the stories behind iconic tracks like “Love Yourz,” “Heard About Us,” and “X” to sharing his thoughts on the future of AI in music, his new executive role at Empire, and his heartfelt advice for up-and-coming producers, !llmind offers a rare, unfiltered look into the mind of a legend who’s left an undeniable mark on the culture. This interview was conducted by Andrej Aroch via video call on April 30, 2025.
How did you first get into music, and what inspired you to start producing?
I started getting into music through my parents. My dad was a musician—he played guitar, drums, and other instruments. A lot of my family members, like my uncles, also played instruments and sang. I’m Filipino, and in Filipino culture, music is such a big part of who we are. So I grew up surrounded by it.
My dad was really into jazz, rock, classic rock—all the typical stuff like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and other classics. That’s the kind of music I grew up on.
When I was around 11, 12, or 13, I started getting curious about how music was actually made. That’s when I really got into hip hop, and I began wondering: Who’s making these beats? How do they do it? How do you put together drum tracks, compose melodies, sample and chop audio? What kind of equipment do you need to do that?
That curiosity sparked my journey into music production. Most of it was trial and error—just mimicking my favorite producers and trying to figure out how they were creating beats. You do that enough times, every day, and eventually you get better and better at it. I just never stopped. That was 20 years ago—and here we are today. I was fortunate enough to turn it into a career.
When you began sampling and exploring how others made music, which producers had the biggest influence on you?
My favorite producer of all time—rest in peace—is J Dilla. When I first heard his stuff, I was like, man—this is some of the craziest s**t I’ve ever heard. I was really influenced by him.
Also, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Dr. Dre, Mannie Fresh, DJ Quik—there are so many producers who influenced me, especially when I was just starting out. Early on, my beat-making process was all about mimicking and studying these guys—figuring out how they composed their beats and achieved their sound.
Those were some of the main names I studied, but honestly, I was paying attention to a lot of producers as I was coming up. I was listening to everything, just trying to absorb it all and find my own sound in the process.
How has your production style and sound evolved over the years?
My production has evolved over the years mainly from curiosity. I’m the kind of music producer who genuinely loves music first—I’ve always been a fan of music before anything else. That consistent appreciation and love for new music and new art forms has really shaped my journey. It’s always been about figuring out, in real time, where I fit into the evolving musical landscape.
I’ve always experimented and pushed myself to try new things. I never want to get stuck in one sound or one style. Because of that mindset, I was able to explore a wide range—from dark, grimy New York-style hip-hop beats to trap elements, to producing house music and pop, to working with songwriters on R&B. All of that came to me organically, just from my genuine love for all types of music.
I’ve always challenged myself to grow as a producer, and the more you do that, the better you get. I’m still learning every day—it’s a never-ending process.
What does your creative process look like today? Do you follow any routines or habits when starting a beat from scratch in your DAW?
No—I don’t really have any routines. I just go in there and throw stuff at the wall to see what sticks. I treat the process of making music like one big experiment. Nothing matters, there’s no pressure. I’m literally just in there messing around. If it turns out great, awesome. If it turns out s***ty, that’s fine too.
As long as I’m having fun, pushing myself, and enjoying the process of experimenting and discovering something new, that’s what excites me about making music. I try to stay true to that philosophy every time I’m in the studio.
It doesn’t matter if I’m making a beat on my own, collaborating with another musician, or working with an artist—I always want to challenge both them and myself to create something new. And as long as it stays fun, I’m going to keep doing it. The day it stops being fun is probably the day I’ll quit. But honestly, I don’t see that happening, because I just love this s**t.
Can you walk us through how you produced “X” for the Black Panther soundtrack featuring Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, 2 Chainz, and Saudi, and how that collaboration came together?
So, shout out to my homie Sounwave. He’s one of Kendrick’s main producers and was there from the early TDE days. Over the years, through mutual friends and just having a mutual respect for each other, we eventually started working together.
For a while, I’d send him beat starters and melody ideas—we went back and forth sharing stuff. And that track ended up being one of those beats. I remember getting a call from him where he told me about the track, but I didn’t know exactly what project it was for. It could’ve been for a ScHoolboy Q album, a Kendrick album—I had no idea, and honestly, I didn’t care. I was just happy and grateful that it was happening. It was a really humbling moment for me.
We finished the track, and when I got the paperwork for it, no one knew the Black Panther movie was even coming out yet. It was a huge surprise—I remember reading the paperwork and seeing “X – Black Panther Soundtrack,” and thinking, Oh s**t, they’re making a Black Panther movie? It was crazy.
That’s how it happened. We signed off on everything, it all came together, and the track ended up on the album. I’m super grateful to Sounwave and everyone at TDE who helped make it happen.
With your recent role as Senior VP of A&R at Empire, how do you balance the creative side of making music with your executive responsibilities and other ventures?
Funny enough, my new role at Empire actually allows me to be even more creative. It’s really wild. I’m definitely balancing different roles now, but it’s not all that different from what I’ve always done as a producer.
When you’re a music producer, for most of your career, you’re basically playing every role. You’re creating the music, marketing yourself, posting on social media, looking for clients, figuring out how to sell beats, trying to generate income, registering your work with a PRO, looking for a manager and a lawyer—you’re doing everything. That can be really difficult and overwhelming for a lot of people.
But when you do that long enough, you develop a certain discipline and understanding of all the components that go into making something successful. After doing that for 20 years, I’ve been able to take all that experience and apply it to my role at Empire.
What’s great is that Empire allows me to showcase those skill sets—but now it’s about being of service to more people, not just myself. It’s less about how I can get placements or make money, and more about how we can accomplish things together. How can I help this artist? How can I help the company grow? How can I contribute to the success of the team?
It’s bigger than me now, and it feels really good to be part of one of the greatest teams in the world—arguably the greatest label and publisher out there—with some of the most incredible people in the business. It’s humbling, and it’s been really fun to be a part of it. And it’s only been three or four months—we’re just getting started.
Is there a record or project you’ve worked on that holds a special place in your heart—and why?
That’s a tough one. Every track I’ve done, every placement I’ve had—I look at them like they’re my babies. Each one holds a special place in my heart—but I’ll answer it.
As of today, I’d probably say “Heard About Us” by Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Shout out to Boi-1da, Jahaan Sweet, and also Nija for helping put that track together—it was an honor to be part of it.
I choose that one because it was my first Grammy win. I remember that moment clearly—me, my manager, and my lawyer were at the Grammys. We were watching the show, and when that category came up—Best Urban Contemporary Album—the host opened the envelope and said, “And the winner is… The Carters, Beyoncé and Jay-Z.”
We all stood up, clapping. There’s actually a video of it somewhere—either on the internet or my Instagram. My brother was there too—shout out to him. I couldn’t believe it. After all those years, I had finally won my first Grammy.
And of course, that night, we went out and celebrated— got f***ed up—did all the things you’re supposed to do when you win your first Grammy. So for now, I’d say that song holds a really special place in my heart.
I wanted to ask about “Love Yourz” by J. Cole. Looking back nearly 10 years later, how do you view that song and its impact on your career?
“Love Yourz” changed a lot of lives—mine included. The fact that people are still resonating with the song 10 years later really speaks to its message, its relatability, and the power behind it.
Honestly, I don’t even know how else to describe it other than to say I’m humbled, grateful, and thankful to have been a part of it. Cole changed millions of lives with that record, and it feels incredible to have a song like that in my discography. I think it’s going to continue standing the test of time for years to come—hopefully. As long as people connect with that kind of message, I think it’ll always have a place in the world.
Huge shoutout to Cole, Dreamville, and Matt for making it happen, and to Cardiak and CritaCal for helping me produce it. Shoutout to Ibrahim and the whole Dreamville squad. I think they really saw the vision for what that song could be—even though I don’t think any of us fully realized how deep the impact would be. Looking back now, it just feels surreal.
Where do you see AI heading in the next few years, and what advice would you give to new producers on using it to enhance their creative process?
AI is definitely here to stay. I completely understand why the producer community—and the music community in general—might feel threatened by it. And honestly, that’s a valid concern. But at this point in time, I think the smartest thing you can do as a music creator is to take the time to understand AI: what it is, what it can do, and how it might change the landscape of music.
But here’s the important part: I believe it’s critical to engage with AI and figure out how to use it to support your creativity No one knows exactly what the future holds. Some people say AI is going to replace musicians and producers, or that it’ll ruin the industry. Maybe, maybe not. It’s all speculation at this point.
What you can do right now is embrace it instead of fighting it. You don’t have to use it, but if you want to stay ahead of where things are going, at least understand it: why it exists, what it does, how powerful it is—and then use that knowledge to your advantage.
For example, I created an AI platform called LoopMagic. It’s ethically trained, with no copyright strikes and no exclusivity. We’re working every day to improve it. That’s just one example of how I see AI in music—not as a threat, but as a tool. If you use it the right way, it can help make you a better producer.
I think AI can save you time, act like a creative co-producer, and help spark new ideas. So go check out loopmagic.com—and look into any other platforms you think would help you in your productions.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming producers looking to build their brand and start working with established artists?
The world of music production is complex—there are so many unanswered questions, and everyone’s path is different. If I had to give one key piece of advice, it would be this: do what feels natural to you.
If you try to force yourself into being something you’re not—or doing something you don’t enjoy—it’s going to become unsustainable. Eventually, you’ll burn out or quit. Train your mind and habits to prioritize authenticity and joy.
If you enjoy posting on social media or making YouTube videos, do that. If your passion is making beats—or a specific style of beats—then double down on that. When you prioritize what brings you joy, you’re more likely to keep doing it. And if you keep doing it, you’re going to get better. Keep going long enough, and you’ll get really good. Once you’re really good, now you can compete.
So stick to what you love. If you love it, you’ll improve. And if you improve, you’ll be in a strong position. If you force something just because you think it’s what you “should” do, you might last a few weeks, a few months—or even a few years—but at some point, you’ll probably give up.
Where do you see yourself in five years—both personally and professionally?
I’ve got kind of an unconventional answer to that. I believe that where I’ll be five years from now is none of my business.
And what I mean by that is—we don’t really know what the future holds. You can’t predict it. There was actually a scientific study that found the human memory of the past is about 70% inaccurate. Like, if I asked you what you were doing last Monday and what you were wearing, you might recall some details—maybe what you ate or who you spoke to—but chances are, you wouldn’t remember most of it clearly. And the further back you go, the more inaccurate those memories get.
So if the past is unreliable, and the future is unpredictable, then the only thing that’s truly real is the present moment. And since I can’t predict what this present moment will look like five years from now, that future becomes none of my business. The only thing that is my business is right now.
I know that’s a deep answer—but that’s how I see it. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have goals, and I believe in manifestation. But manifestation happens in the present. You’re supposed to feel like you already have what you want, right now. That’s where the real action and momentum live—in the present. Because it’s the only thing that’s actually real. So who I am, and what I’m doing—it’s all about now.
Follow !llmind on Instagram: @illmindproducer
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