TM88 - “Start small and don’t feel pressured to jump into big projects right away.”

In this exclusive interview with Studio Talks, we sit down with super-producer TM88, the Atlanta legend behind some of hip-hop’s most iconic beats and a true architect of the trap sound. Known for his Diamond-certified hit XO Tour Llif3 with Lil Uzi Vert, TM88 has become one of the most influential producers in hip-hop, shaping the genre with his innovative style and dark, layered production. With countless chart-topping hits and collaborations with artists like Future, Drake, and Young Thug, TM88 continues to redefine the sound of modern rap while building a new wave of talent through his label, Crash Dummy. In this conversation, he shares insights on his creative process, his journey through the music industry, and his vision for the future of hip-hop production. The interview was conducted by Andrej Aroch via a video call with TM88 on October 29, 2024.

Can you share how you first got interested in music and, from there, how you got into music production?

I’d say I got into music before I even knew I was into it, if that makes sense. As a kid, I was constantly watching movies, TV shows, and commercials—just taking in all these different artists and hearing the beats. The beats really moved me. Of course, I loved the songs—the hooks and choruses were great—but it was the beats that really hit me. Hearing all these sounds was just like, “Man, this is crazy!” Take, for example, someone like Dr. Dre. He might sample three or four different records, mix them together, add his own drums on top. I thought that was so cool.

The music videos from the '90s, too—they were like stories. Watching them, I always thought, “One day, I want to try something like that.” Initially, though, I actually went into sports first. That experience taught me the value of working as a team, which, was something I’d end up needing later in music production, working with others.

I think around 2008 was when I really started making beats, thanks to my cousin. One morning, I called him and asked what he was up to. He said he was just chilling, so I went over to his place. When I got to his room, he was working on beats, and I was like, “Man, what is that?” Everyone around us was rapping at the time, and I tried rapping, too. But I noticed it was kind of oversaturated in our neighborhood, so I figured I’d try something different, something that could help everyone else achieve their goals, too. That’s when I thought, “Why not try making beats?” 

What steps did you take to improve when you first started producing? Did you have any mentors or were you self-taught?

I didn’t really have any mentors in producing, though I wanted a few. However, I did meet an engineer early on who ended up helping me a lot. His name was Dale Ramsey. I was planning to look into an internship at PatchWerk Recording Studios as a way to sneak into the industry, maybe get in front of some artists and share my beats.

Actually, I think I met Dale through my mom. When I went to talk with him, he invited me to work at his home studio. Walking in, I was amazed—I saw plaques from records he’d worked on, like for the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and even movie soundtracks. I was like, “You were involved in all of this?” and he said, “Yes. I engineered all these records. I can teach you more here than you’d probably learn at Patchwork.”

Dale ended up being my first real mentor in music. Shout-out to Dale Ramsey—he’s probably in his late 70s or 80s now, but he’s still rocking, still engineering, and still going strong.