Get To Know Nascent, Producer for 50 Cent, Chance the Rapper & Saba
By Elena Wilson
Meet Nascent, a 23-year-old upcoming producer from the Northwest side of Chicago. Nascent is a self-taught musician and has been producing music for over 8 years and has worked with Chance the Rapper, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Saba, and more. In this interview Nascent talks about the beginnings of his career and what made him into the artist he is today including his inspirations, dreams, and doubts.
What’s distinct about his beats is that almost all of them, such as “For Y’all”, a song he co-produced for Saba, and “Price To Pay”, a track off of his Ugly EP, have a very laid back feeling, similar to lo-fi hip hop. The drums and bass are also very prominent. When I spoke to Nascent what immediately stood out to me was his relaxed and welcoming personality. He didn’t come from a very musical background which proves his determination to succeed all on his own accord. These are definitely some of the reasons why he is growing in popularity.
How did you get started as a producer?
I got started in music just like everybody else, just messing around. Probably [around] 15 years old [I] started messing around with music. I think I got more serious when I was 18. Once I got my first track with 50 Cent (“Not Strong Enough”)I was 18. That’s when everything kinda started for me.
Would you say living in Chicago affected your music at all?
Of course, absolutely. Definitely, has a big influence on [me]. Just the vibe of Chicago, it affected the way I sample and the way I arrange my music. I guess it affected my music sonically. It reflects me being in Chicago.
Who inspired you to start making music?
The first album that made me want to do music was Stromatic. Production wise it was DJ Premier, Dr. Dre. That was the album that made me want to do music. It really kinda opened that whole world to me.
What about the album specifically?
It was the beats. The beats and the storytelling and the lyrics [in] it made me wanna dive into it more. It made me look at the credits. I was in sixth grade so at the time so I didn’t know about producers or anything like that, but that made me wanna look into it. I guess from there I found out DJ Premier was a part of Gang Starr so I started looking into that and it opened a whole bunch, like it introduced me to music, into hip hop.
What’s your favorite part of making a new song?
Making the beat with the artist. I guess finally getting in [the studio] with the artist and hearing the song get done. Cause at first music is [just] beats usually. And sometimes you don’t know what the songs gonna be like or the beat.
Who was your favorite person you’ve ever worked with?
Damn, that’s a good one. My favorite person would probably be Bibi Bourelly.
Is what you’re doing now what you wanted to do when you were little?
I mean as a kid you always want to grow up and be someone. I wanted to be a pirate when I was a little kid, but I think it was finding my purpose at a young age. Like 15 years old knowing that I wanted to do music, that’s just what I was gonna do, and it really didn’t mean being famous I just wanted to do this. Just a purpose to do what I love.
Would you say there was any point in time where you had doubts or you felt like you shouldn’t have done this?
Absolutely. Like the only reason why I got started in music was because I was sending beats to this DJ in New York. I was 18 at the time, and he told me to fly out to New York to go work with this artist because he was a mainstream artist at that level. I flew to New York with my own money and the guy flaked out on me. So I was literally in New York, my first trip that I was by myself and the guy just wouldn’t pick up his phone. So at that point, I really felt like I was more frustrated and upset that I actually had to go all the way from New York to Chicago at that age, just like sort of nothing had happened.
Literally, on the third day that I was leaving, I was charging my phone and I was on this [site]-I don’t know if you’ve heard of it,-it was called All Hip Hop…I was on All Hip Hop, it was like [20]08, and there was a video and they were talking about G-Unit and basically their staff. They had [a] video about their staff that works with 50 cent. So that kinda turned a light bulb on. I was literally in Times Square, I had my suitcase, I found the address to G-Unit, and I walked up over there and I ended up placing a beat on the album like that day.
But that’s what I’m saying like sometimes you really just have to make something [out of nothing]. Cause in that situation I had walked out like, I came in I failed [and I] was ready to just go back home, but you kinda gotta think on your feet. Like sometimes that just means you’re supposed to be there. But that was where I really wanted to quit.
Is there anything you would like to say to people who would like to become producers?
So with this chasing music, the thing is you have to be very persistent. You gotta have tough skin cause you’re gonna get a lot more no’s than yes’s. And sometimes that kinda creates fear in people, and it actually doesn’t exist. I mean with music you always gotta try again. A lot of times people tell you you can’t do something but in reality you can do it, it’s just that sometimes people project their fears [and] their insecurities onto you. But you can’t let them say any of that. You gotta look forward and don’t worry about anybody else. Do it yourself.