Tre Pounds – “This is what I love, and I’m going to keep doing it—no matter what”

In this exclusive interview with Studio Talks, we sit down with Tre Pounds, a standout member of the legendary producer collective 808 Mafia. Tre has worked with some of the biggest names in the game—including Future, Young Thug, Migos, Big Sean, Gucci Mane, Juice WRLD, and more. He takes us inside his journey from artist to producer, shares insights into his creative process and studio etiquette, and breaks down how he co-produced the multi-platinum hit “Wake Up in the Sky” by Gucci Mane, Bruno Mars, and Kodak Black. This interview was conducted by Andrej Aroch via video call on May 15.

How did you first get into music—and when did you decide to start producing?

I’ve been into music since I was a kid—since elementary school, to be honest. My uncle used to have us play instruments. He’s an artist—he does wood carvings and paintings, and he also plays music.

My dad was actually the lead singer of a Haitian band back in the day. He used to travel and go on tour, and he’d take me to the studio with him from time to time. So music was just part of my upbringing. I even used to sing in elementary school—my music teacher, Miss Kerchie, taught chorus and always told my mom I had a good voice.

The first instrument I really learned to play was the drums—my uncle taught me how to play the snare. Then I learned the flute. But at that point, I was more focused on being an artist than a producer. I was really trying to rap.

Later on, my homie in West Palm Beach—his name’s 15 Gramz—taught me how to use the MPC. I think it was the 2000, the gray one with the floppy disk. That was my first time making beats, but honestly, it didn’t grab me at the time. So I just kept going as an artist.

And my brother—he’s actually the one who really made me want to rap. He was one of my favorite artists growing up—even though he’s my little brother.

You mentioned production didn’t grab you at first—when did that change?

It happened when I came to Atlanta. At the time, I was still an artist—rapping over beats from Southside, TM88, and others. Whenever they made beats for me, I’d be sitting right next to them, watching them work all day. I mean, literally 24/7—they were making beats back-to-back.

I didn’t even realize I was learning the program just by watching. Over time, I started to understand exactly what they were doing—without even trying to learn.

Then, when they really started making serious money off their beats—like $10,000, $15,000, even $20,000 a beat—I thought, Man, I can’t keep asking these guys for beats. I didn’t want to take food out of their mouths—or their families’.

That’s when I decided I needed to start making beats for myself. So I sat down at the computer and just started making my own beats.

What’s the story behind how you joined 808 Mafia—and how did it impact your career?

I’d been around Southside and TM88 for a long time—mainly as an artist at first. So when I started making beats, I wasn’t doing it with the intention of saying, Yo, I’m 808 Mafia now. It was more about making beats for the people around me and for myself.

Then one day, I was watching a Southside interview. They asked him something like, “Who’s part of 808 Mafia?” He started listing names and then dropped my name in there. I was like, Whoa. That moment really hit me.

From then on, I decided I was going to carry the brand and represent it. And yeah, from that point on, it was official for me.