Hit-Boy has maintained his position as a premiere producer in rap over the last several years, and he somehow continues to find a way to better his craft. The West Coast beatmaker struck gold with Nas yet again on their surprise 2023 album, Magic 2, and now his father, Big Hit, is stepping into the rap arena with his own solo album and unique style.
“I'm versatile, I just go with the flow,” Big Hit tells Complex when discussing how he’s adapted to the current sound of hip-hop while still remaining true to his '90s roots. “But it’s different now because back in the day, everybody wasn't tripping on making no bread instead of creating what they wanted and how they were feeling at that time. Now, niggas are really focused on trying to make hits and rapping about things they aren’t living.”
Hip-hop has evolved greatly in the last 50 years, and Hit-Boy has been at the forefront of its metamorphosis thanks to the groundbreaking songs he’s produced, including Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “Niggas in Paris,” Kendrick Lamar’s “Backseat Freestyle,” Travis Scott and Drake’s “Sicko Mode,” and several others. But what has taken Hit-Boy’s career to the next level over these last few years has been his work with Nas. The duo have teamed up on five albums in the last three years, including their King’s Disease trilogy and most recently the sequel to their 2021 album, Magic.
“I’m right with him, I’m going,” Hit-Boy says when asked if he and Nas have more projects they want to make. “I'm in that mode. Not even to prove some shit, but it's just like I got so much more to offer the game. And it’s just allowed me to be the real producer I want to be.”
The freedom that Nas gives Hit-Boy is evident in his work with Big Hit, with whom he shares their tape Surf or Drown Vol. 2, but the elder Hit is also working to be recognized beyond his son’s star power.
“[I’m excited] to be recognized as a real artist that gets his respect from spitting, and not just riding on my son’s coattail,” Big Hit says. “Because he can make anybody sound like that nigga, but I’m really cut like that. [Adding Hit-Boy] is just like icing on the cake, but don’t get it fucked up, it’s still a bomb cake without the icing.”
Now, the father-turned-rapper and his hall-of-fame producer son are teaming up with 50 & Forever, Amazon Music’s celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, to host a freestyle challenge to the Hit-Boy-produced beat of Big Hit’s lead single, “Boo Bop,” off his upcoming debut studio album, The Truth Is In My Eyes. In a challenge Hit-Boy has hosted himself before, fans will be able to take the “Boo Bop” beat and show off their lyrical ability via TikTok stitch.
We talked to Hit-Boy and Big Hit about their collaboration with Amazon Music’s Hip Hop 50 & Forever for their freestyle challenge to “Boo Bop,” reflecting on some of Hit-Boy’s most memorable production moments, working with Nas, and what he has coming this year.
The interview, lightly edited and condensed for clarity, is below.
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Thinking of the phrasing “50 and Forever,” what do you think hip-hop is going to look like in the next 50 years?
I just feel like it's infinite possibilities. It's a lot of just things happening for new artists, like Luh Tyler getting into the game from recording songs on his phone to doing Rolling Loud with massive crowds, then you got people like Nas who is 49 years old dropping five albums in a row in three years. Then my pops touches down and he’s 52 years old with a youthful energy that people just respond to and it's just crazy to see. It’s just open season for everybody to do their thing.
You released “Boo Bop” with Amazon Music for the freestyle competition. Why was this the right beat for the competition?
It’s just the tempo, the energy, you can't help but feel like some type of burst of energy when you hear this beat and the song as well. So I just thought it was the right one.
Magic 2 is your fifth collaborative tape with Nas in three years. How many more of these are we going to get from y’all? Nas said in a recent Billboard interview that he isn’t slowing down.
I’m right with him, I’m going. I'm in that mode. Not even to prove some shit, but it's just like I got so much more to offer the game. And it’s just allowed me to be the real producer I want to be. Some people just want to come get beats, but Nas is like, “I’m going to rock with you on your beats, whatever post-production you want to do. Wherever you want to take it creatively.” That it is the ultimate freedom, that's something that producers dream of. So to have somebody on that level to be open to this shit allows me to be a better producer, keep growing, and keep challenging myself.
Were these tracks always meant to be Magic 2, or were they meant for another King’s Disease or something else?
These were always meant to be Magic 2, that was always meant to be the plan.
You said that the beats you’ve made in “under 10 minutes always get picked.” What is it about the beats that you don’t overthink that works so well?
I guess people could just feel that energy. They don’t feel like anything is forced. I feel like that initial energy when you sit down and create whatever you feeling at the time, that’s what's genuine.
That reminds me of this old Timbaland quote where he says that the beauty of making a hit “is not knowing that it's a hit, but just knowing that it feels good.” Can you talk about what the feeling is for you when you’re working in the studio?
I just sit there and look at the music like I'm looking at a person, like what am I seeing right now, what am I feeling right now? That’s the energy for me, the music won’t lie to you when you really listen to it.
The five-year anniversary of your second diamond record, “Sicko Mode” was also this year. What’s something that might surprise people about the recording of that song?
Drake did his part for the first part that I produced the night Birds in The Trap Sing McKnight came out. So we had to hold [“Sicko Mode”] from then until the time that it actually dropped. I gave the beat to Travis that night, I had already made it.
Is there anything else you’re looking forward to dropping this year?
Man, Benny the Butcher’s album, I did like nine joints on that album so that’s going to be dope, and Alchemist did the rest.
