Philadelphia native Infamous Rell did a Q&A with HipHopSince1987 staff member Alanna Milan and shares his progress in the music industry. Read below:
Alanna: Your discography includes tracks performed by artists like Tee Grizzley, Meek Mill, and many more. Tell-all about your first placement ever.
Infamous Rell: My first major placement was ‘Fleek’ by PNB Rock. It was around 2016 & at that time I was already establishing myself as a staple in the Philly music scene. I was young but I was a hustler. People saw that. When he came home from doing his time, Mont reached out to me & we locked in the studio. Everything was organic & it hit close to home because we had already worked together on ‘Link Up’ from his RNB2 project. That was my first time really hearing my work on the radio & on BETJams.
Alanna: Name some of your most favorite tracks that you’ve produced thus far, whether they are underground or mainstream. Which one has motivated you the most to keep striving?
Infamous Rell: It’s hard to decide honestly but I’d have to say ‘Never Lose’ by Meek & Lihtz, ‘So Sorry’ by Ray Moon & ‘Infamous’ by Ab Liva & Spade-O. Just to name a few. Never Lose was so organic and I just love to see artists I work with grow. I produced a lot of great records for Lihtz prior to that album so to see him finally get put on a bigger platform, actually deliver & represent the city, it was amazing to see.
Ray Moon & her team are great people. We created a lot of quality records as well over the years but once I heard ‘So Sorry’ I knew it was a game changer. That’s one of my favorites because it made its way to radio in Atlanta & also last year’s NBA2K game. With that being my first sync placement, it allowed me to expand my range in business and gain that experience within those types of deals. ‘Infamous’ on the other hand was one of the street cuts within my catalogue.
With Liva being one of the most respected writers from the city & Spade being one of the most honorable spitters from the city, they blended perfectly on the Narcos inspired production piece I initially sent over. It soon caught Pusha T’s attention as well and after hearing more of my work, we also built a dope bond as well thanks to Ab. I can’t really say it’s one in particular that keeps me motivated because over time I just take what I need to learn from each situation & apply it to the next one. They all work hand in hand.
Alanna: As a producer, in what ways, if any, did COVID-19 affect your ability to get business done, or motivate you to get it done?
Infamous Rell: COVID honestly didn’t affect any business at all. It just made me appreciate being a musician a lot more. Think about it. Not everyone has the gift of being able to create the future, make a beat, or just record a song to get their thoughts off. Music is literally the universal language, so within the time I was isolated, I was gaining all the information I needed to get better. Mastering my craft. Reading. Investing in my sound. Building new relationships. Sending packs. I looked at it as the perfect time to find myself and show people how dope I am.
Alanna: Provide any tip(s) to the young beatmakers studying your work for influence.
Infamous Rell: Some words of advice are to stay grounded & master your sound. Study your craft. Learn all you can about what you love. Obsess over learning something new everyday. Invest in yourself. That all plays a key role in getting to the next level. Keep a good team around you too & get an entertainment lawyer. Never lose sight of why you do it. That’s the main thing that will keep you going.
Alanna: List us a few things that keep you motivated to keep your goals achieved and dreams alive? Especially during a tough time like this.
Infamous Rell: First and foremost, positive self-talk is important. You have to wake up everyday knowing it’s a new opportunity for greatness. That’s my mindset. I have a huge dry erase board in the house strictly for ideas. I also use it to keep track of tasks and packs I need to send. Reading is important too because the last thing you need is to be isolated in the crib, feeding your brain social-media all day every day. Get the information & apply it to the grind.
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