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Hip-hop super producer Hit-Boy has helped create some of the biggest hits of the last decade. His discography includes classic songs with Jay-Z and Kanye West, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, and Rihanna. His crowning achievement however are the series of albums he’s produced for Nas including King’s Disease and Magic.

On today’s episode Justin Richmond talks to Hit-Boy about how he recently introduced a new, but old, piece of equipment into his beat-making process. He also talks about the years-long process of making a beat on Beyonce’s Renaissance, and he explains his creative process with Nas and how they have been able to lock in and create some of the best work of Nas’s career.

You can hear a playlist of some of our favorite Hit-Boy songs HERE.

The Hosts

Rick Rubin

In addition to being a podcast host, Frederick Jay “Rick” Rubin is an American record producer and former co-president of Columbia Records. Along with Russell Simmons, he is the co-founder…

Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell is president and co-founder of Pushkin Industries. He is a journalist, a speaker, and the author of six New York Times bestsellers including The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers,…

Justin Richmond

Justin Richmond is producer and co-host of the music podcast Broken Record with writer Malcolm Gladwell, New York Times editor Bruce Headlam, and music producer—and Def Jam co-founder—Rick Rubin. Justin…

Bruce Headlam

Bruce Headlam is one of the co-creators of the music podcast Broken Record. He worked at The New York Times for 19 years, including two years running the 50-person Video…