Tane Runo – “It’s all about getting your music out there and building connections”

What was your first major placement, and what did it mean for your career?

I had an unreleased record with Justin Bieber that I was really excited about, but it never came out. After that, I worked on "Grey" by Travis Scott for Days Before Rodeo, but that was just a SoundCloud release. My first official major placement was either "slide thru" by blackbear, or "Stronger" by Usher.

But if we’re talking about a placement that truly changed the course of my career, it would probably be the work I did with EarthGang and JID. Around that time, I started gaining more recognition, and more people began paying attention to my sound. It really expanded my network and got my music into more ears.

Do you have a routine before you start creating music? Do you treat it like a nine-to-five job or follow any specific process?

I don’t really have a set routine, to be honest. When I start, I usually like to listen to music—whether it’s something from my friends, the artists I’m working with, or even just music that isn’t mine. It helps me pull inspiration. I also have conversations with the people I’m collaborating with to share new ideas or things I’ve learned.

I try to stay hydrated, drinking a lot of water, and sometimes I’ll burn some Palo Santo to set the vibe. One thing I do make a point of is being intentional. I’ll sort of manifest that the session will be a success—whether that means creating songs we love, connecting on a deeper level, or strengthening bonds. It’s all about setting the right energy for the session.

What’s your opinion on the use of AI in music production?

I think AI is an awesome tool for musicians and creatives. It can spark great ideas, refine concepts, and elevate things that might have been difficult to achieve before. AI makes certain processes much easier and opens up new possibilities, which is exciting.

However, it can also be dangerous in the wrong hands. If corporations monopolize and own it, we risk running into big problems. When creativity gets overly monetized and controlled, it takes the joy out of the process—something corporations have been doing to artists for a long time. That’s part of why so many musicians stop creating, end up in bad deals, or struggle with mental health. The idea of the “struggling artist” shouldn’t exist. And AI shouldn’t become another tool for exploiting creativity if big companies dominate it.

How can we prevent that?

We need laws and regulations in place, and conversations like this are important. Voting is part of it, but we also need to speak up—calling legislators, making noise about protecting independent creators, and pushing for fair systems.

One solution could be creating a database of music where artists willingly submit their work, which is then licensed out to companies using AI. Artists would get paid every time their work is used—whether through a subscription model, licensing fees, or some other way to ensure consistent payouts. That way, musicians benefit directly whenever AI draws from their contributions.

I'd like to talk a little more about your recent placement on Kendrick Lamar’s newest album. Can you share the process behind creating the track “Dodger Blue”?

I started working on the idea and sent it to my friend Tim Maxey, who’s a frequent collaborator of mine. He then worked on it with some colleagues in LA—Sounwave, Terrace Martin, and Jack Antonoff. Eventually, it made its way to Kendrick, and I heard that he played it over and over—Siete7x, Roddy Ricch and Ink did an amazing job too, with Wallie the Sensei contributing to the record. They all really brought it to life.