The Rapzilla Beat Battle gave everyone the opportunity to witness some of the best up and coming producers in the genre. Today, we’ll be highlighting one of the participants, MALEX. This producer has been around for a while and has some major accomplishments along the way.
Tell us a bit about yourself. How’d you get into producing and what’s your goal?
I was born in El Paso, Texas, but I have lived in Dallas, Texas most of my life. I’m married and have 2 amazing kids. I am an independent, 4x platinum, Grammy Award Winning audio engineer, producer, artist, songwriter, mentor, and all around tech-nerd. Production was the 3rd thing I started doing in my journey to find my lane in music. I started as a b-boy when I was 11. Then, I started rapping when I was 14. When I was 18, I started getting serious about my craft and felt that producing my own music was the way to go. My goal has always been to be able to support my family with my music while being a light in the darkness. Unless God says otherwise, that’s not changing.
Do you have a specific style or genre that you work in?
That’s a tough question… even though my sound is rooted in hip-hop, I like to lean towards intricate sound design, melodic, and cinematic elements. So I usually end up with something that sounds futuristic and heavy, but somehow attracts singers more than rappers. I don’t know…
What has been the biggest beat placement you’ve received so far?
I would have to say it’s a toss-up between “Way Up” by Deraj (RMG), which I co-produced with Onbeatmusic, and my protege lucyclubhouse, and my independent release “Swangin” by Hanna (which got picked up by Puma for a commercial releasing soon)
Who are some artists you’d like to work with?
Sia, Kendrick Lamar, Imagine Dragons, Jhene Aiko, Andy Mineo, and Jon Bellion are at the top of my list.
How was the experience of the Rapzilla Beat Battle?
It was pretty intense. Every producer came through with HEAT. The energy in the room was crazy!
Did you learn anything from performing beats live and competing?
I learned that there is no other experience like a beat battle… The time it takes to prepare is really a great tool to sharpen your skills as a producer, and it is a good way to get feedback on your sound. I don’t participate in many battles, but when I do it’s usually to help me break through to a new level in my production skills.
What’s the best advice, if any, that you received at the battle?
The judges basically told me to put some artists on my tracks and they are ready to go! I couldn’t ask for better feedback.
What’s next for you?
I created an online store at www.beatsbymalex.com to make my sound more accessible to up and coming artists, and I have several new projects getting ready to drop. Music from Hanna, LO, Lala Main, Kassy Levels, Coco Jones, Sivion, Breekay x Kasairi, and a few other super-secret gems are coming soon!
