Exclusive Interview
Apr 23, 2025
Produced by: Rudy Manager
Edited by: Rudy Manager & Andrej Aroch
ssor.t – “The biggest thing is to make the music you want to make”
In this exclusive Studio Talks interview, we sit down with platinum producer ssor.t, a rising force in the music industry and a key member of the influential producer collective Neilaworld. Known for his genre-pushing work with artists like Playboi Carti, Ken Carson, and Destroy Lonely, ssor.t has carved out a distinct lane with his immersive sound and relentless drive. From his earliest exposure to music at home to producing standout tracks like “Stop Breathing” and “Rockstar Lifestyle,” this conversation traces his journey, creative process, and the milestones that have defined his career so far. This interview was conducted by Rudy Manager via video call on March 17, 2025.
How did you first become interested in music?
When it comes to music, my father is a professional musician. He plays the trumpet at the Metropolitan Opera and was with the New York Philharmonic for a while. He’s been a musician for as long as I can remember, always practicing and playing around the house. He also played guitar as a hobby and would put on all kinds of music—mostly jazz, like Charlie Parker, and surprisingly, a lot of reggae. We always used to listen to a radio show that played Charlie Parker’s music in chronological order.
My mom is a huge music fan too, playing different stuff in the car, like Prince and Madonna. My sister got into music as well, and she is now pursuing opera. It was a very musical household.
I wanted to join the school band when I was younger. At first, I tried drums, but they made me play the glockenspiel instead. I really just wanted to play the drums—snare drum, drum set— so I switched to the trumpet/cornet because my dad thought it would be easier for me since he could teach me.
I’ve always been into music, constantly digging for new stuff, no matter the genre. When I got internet access, I watched music videos all the time. The first one I ever saw was Kanye West’s “Love Lockdown,” followed by Eminem’s “Just Lose It.”
What led you to music production?
One of my best friends growing up had an older brother who made music just for fun. His SoundCloud name was RIP Eternal —he now goes by Paul (@paulc5c). My best friend Joe, whom I’ve known since I was nine, was his younger brother.
We used to skate all the time, and I was always at Joe’s house. His brother had a MIDI keyboard and music programs—probably GarageBand—and we used to mess around on the family computer, trying things out. Seeing him do it made me realize I could, too.
Around the same time, when Vine was big, I found producer Brent Rambo. He had a huge meme account but also posted beats on SoundCloud. That was a moment for me—I realized people could make music from anywhere.
I started learning production in 2017. My dad got me FL Studio Producer Edition for my birthday—the best gift ever. I was using a crappy Toshiba laptop, but that’s how I started. I was self-taught, watching YouTube tutorials to figure out how to use FL Studio. I wasn’t focused on specific styles, just learning the technical side so I could create the ideas I had in my head.
Can you walk us through your creative process? How do you start an idea from scratch? Do you have any specific tricks or habits?
I don’t really have tricks—I just open the program and go with whatever I’m feeling. My process usually depends on which synths or plugins I’m into that week. If I need to make a specific pack for an artist, I’ll focus on that. Otherwise, I just pull up a plugin and start sifting through sounds.
For some reason, I almost always start at 140 BPM, adjusting as needed. If I get a new plugin or Kontakt bank, I treat it like a new toy and spend a whole week experimenting with it. Sometimes I revisit older synths I liked and bring them back into my workflow.
Some producers start with FL Keys and lay down a melody, and I do that too if I already have something in mind. But often I go in with a blank canvas and ask, What sound do I want to hear right now? If I’m in the mood for an arp, I’ll pull up a plugin with good arpeggios. If I want a specific lead, I’ll start with that.
When I’m unsure of what to make, I go through my rendered stems—past beats I’ve bounced. I do a lot of audio flipping and manipulation, so I treat my own rendered sections in FL like Splice—sampling myself by repitching, reversing, adding effects, and chopping things up. That’s a big part of my process.
What are some of your favorite plugins right now?
Right before this podcast, Serum 2 dropped—I didn’t even know about it until I saw it on Instagram. I tried downloading it, but the website was down. I like Serum a lot, though I don’t use it all the time.
If I had to pick an all-time favorite, it’d be Omnisphere. I don’t have it on my Mac because it takes up too much space, but if I’m on someone else’s computer and they have it, I always use it. If I could only have one plugin forever, it would probably be Omnisphere.
Another favorite is Falcon by UVI—it has really clean, high-quality sound processing. For synths, I love U-he’s plugins, like Zebra, ACE, and Bazille. I also use a lot of Native Instruments stuff, especially from the Kontakt bundle, plus ShaperBox—which everyone uses for a reason.
I don’t have one go-to plugin; it depends on what I’m feeling that week. Sometimes, I’ll challenge myself to only use Kontakt for a week. I also used Tone2 synths a lot in the past—they have a distinct sound—but I haven’t reinstalled them since switching from a Razer laptop to a MacBook.
Over the years, I’ve tried so many plugins that I can usually recognize them just by sound. My friends always ask me about new plugins because I used to test everything. Now, when I hear a beat, I can often tell exactly which plugin was used just from the sound quality or presets.
Could you share the story behind “Rockstar Lifestyle” with Ken Carson?
I made that beat with my friend Semsi while we were in Cyprus, just locked in, making beats non-stop. Ken was finishing his album, and we were on the phone with him a lot. He kept saying, "Man, I’ve been getting on so many of your beats. You guys are going crazy."
We were making, like, 20 beats a day, just going back and forth on our laptops. “Rockstar Lifestyle” was one of them. I think Semsi started it, but I’m not sure. When we finished, I didn’t even think it sounded done, but he was like, “No, it’s finished.”
He was stacking records, hitting us back like, “I got on four or five from this pack.” We were just grinding, trying to get beats on the album. There were so many from that session that I almost forgot about “Rockstar Lifestyle,” but then it made the album, and I was like, “Oh damn, that one actually landed.”
Is there a production of yours that’s especially close to your heart?
Definitely “Rockstar Lifestyle” and “Stop Breathing” because of the time period, but two others stand out—“Money & Sex” by Ken Carson and Destroy Lonely, and Lonely’s “if looks could kill.”
“Money & Sex” started with me—I made the initial idea and sent it to Lucian, who finished it. Since he was around Ken all the time, he’d get the latest records, but wouldn’t always tell me right away. One day, he called me like, "Bro, they made an insane record. This is a smash."
Lonely actually recorded “Money & Sex” before “if looks could kill,” but when he played it for me during his album sessions, it really stuck with me.
If Looks Could Kill is super close to home. The whole album was made in New York, and for most of it, it was just me, Clayco, his engineer Trey, and his best friend Cam locking in every day. Later, other producers like Cade joined, but at first, it was just us in the studio’s side room, making beats nonstop.
We still have the folder—500 beats in one month. Some days, we’d make 20—either from scratch or by flipping loops. That’s why If Looks Could Kill is so special. I can tell the full story if you want.
Can you share the story of how If Looks Could Kill was made?
Destroy Lonely had a clear vision for the album—he was super specific, even down to the BPMs, with 131 being the sweet spot. He sent us tons of references, pulling from Deftones, Team Sleep, and Nirvana, aiming for an eerie, cinematic feel. Clayco was more versed in that sound, while I was coming from a different space, but we blended our influences.
Carter Bryson, a collaborator, is an incredible producer and guitarist with a soulful, distinct tone. We bounced ideas off each other—Lonely sent references like Nirvana records, and I sent over Dinosaur Jr. tracks for that psychedelic, distorted guitar texture. Carter was locked in, sending insanely detailed loops with 10-13 layers.
Clayco and I also made a custom drum kit for the album—signature 808s, snares, and hi-hats—so everything had a consistent sound. It wasn’t just random beats; we were crafting a sonic world. The studio schedule was 5 PM to 5 AM daily for a month and a half. I’d take the train uptown, and Clayco and his engineer Trey would show up from their hotel. Some days, we made 20 beats, either from scratch or flipping loops.
Lonely texted me, “Yo, I’m about to make my new album in New York. I know you live there—just pull up.” Lonely was super hands-on, which made everything easier. He knew exactly what he wanted, which isn’t always the case with artists. “if looks could kill” stood out immediately—after he recorded it, he kept playing it back all night. Same with “safety (interlude)”—he ran it back 30 times, and that song’s six minutes long.
When Lonely posted a snippet of “if looks could kill,” it exploded. People started making remakes before the official track even dropped. One remake floats around on social media—Kim Kardashian’s stylist even posted a fit pic using that version instead of the real one.
For me, “If Looks Could Kill” captures the whole album’s grungy, distorted, eerie aesthetic. That’s why it became the title track. The whole process—being in the studio every day, dialing in the sound, and seeing the record take off—was an experience I’ll never forget.
What advice would you give to upcoming producers who want to break into the industry and collaborate with established artists?
The industry is different now. When I was coming up, sending loops to bigger producers was a real way to get placements. Back then, producers like Southside and Wheezy would post their emails, and people would buy email lists just to send loops. That game has changed.
Today, the biggest challenge is cutting through the noise. Everyone is making type beats or chasing trends. The biggest thing is to make the music you want to make. If it’s genuine and exciting, people will gravitate toward it.
Finding a real circle of people you trust is huge. Neilaworld isn’t just a producer group—it’s built on lifelong friendships. We talk every day, not just about music, but about life. The strongest teams aren’t built on talent alone; they last because of real bonds.
The same applies to working with artists. Most great producers built with artists from the ground up—Southside and Wheezy with Future and Thug, Metro Boomin with Future and Gucci. That’s how they became household names. I got into the Opium world after the “Stop Breathing” record. I hit up Ken Carson like, “Yo, let me send you beats,” and naturally built relationships with him and his circle.
Nowadays, every sound and trend has a tutorial. The question isn’t how to learn—it’s what you’re going to do with that knowledge. How will you stand out? That’s the mindset I’d have if I were starting today.
Where do you see yourself in five years—both personally and in your career?
I don’t really make traditional career plans because the music industry is unpredictable. You can set things up, but you can’t control when artists drop or what they decide to work on.
That said, I want to keep working with the artists I have great relationships with—Ken, Lonely, Carti, Homixide Gang—while also branching out. Future is one of my favorite artists ever, and getting a record with him would be a dream come true. Thug, now that he’s home, is another huge one for me.
I also want to explore new genres. I’m a big fan of FKA twigs and even some K-pop acts like aespa. Addison Rae has been putting out some fire music too. I’d love to be part of something in that lane. And of course, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert—every producer wants a record with them.
Beyond working with big names, I love helping to break new artists. Seeing how far Ken and Lonely have come is crazy—I remember their early shows in 2020, and now they’re headlining festivals. I want to keep discovering and shaping the next wave of stars.
On the milestone side, “Stop Breathing” is platinum, or at least close. More platinum records would be crazy—and every producer dreams of a diamond record. I’ve already got a good number of gold plaques, which people say is a lot for my age, but this is what I’ve been doing for so long.
Outside of hip-hop, I also want to dive into dance music and learn how to DJ. If I ever DJ, I’d want to play only my own music—whether it’s rap, dance, or anything else.
And of course, financial success comes with it. More money in the bank, and more plaques on the wall. Who doesn’t want a big house? That’s not why I do this, but who wouldn’t want that?
Follow ssor.t on Instagram: @ssor.t
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