Sophia Michaels
On the latest episode of People’s Party With Talib Kweli, which you can watch above, pioneering Bay Area producer Zaytoven breaks down how he changed the sound of trap music, the ways his church background influenced his production style, and how he balances his faith with his work with iconic trap figures like Gucci Mane, Future, and Migos. He also tries to explain the origins of the infamous internet conspiracy theory that posits that Gucci Mane was replaced by a clone during his three-year stint in prison.
“Underneath, he’s been the guy that he is right now,” Zay explains. “He’s always been that type of person. He was super smart in school, very intelligent. I guess that time of him going away — he sat down and thought about some things.” He continues by pointing out how age played a factor in Gucci’s growth over that time as well, saying, “We getting older. Gucci knows for a fact if he went away for three years, he can’t come back the same person he was. That don’t make sense. He’s smart enough to know that… ‘Cause he knows that’s what’s gonna make him relevant too. That’s the story.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Zaytoven describes his first meeting with Migos, in which Quavo accidentally stepped on his shoe in the club, shares how he got his start in Atlanta by making beats for his fellow students at barber school, and gives advice for new producers trying to make a new in the music industry. Check out the full episode above.
People’s Party is a weekly interview show hosted by Talib Kweli with big-name guests exploring hip-hop, culture, and politics. Subscribe via Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.
Written by: Uproxx
