[MEET THE PRODUCER] @Jazzfeezy : MEET THE PRODUCER
One of the things weâve enjoyed doing here at U.G. Digital Magazine is providing coverage and showing love on all levels of entertainment and music. One of the many features we do within the magazine is âMeet the Producerâ, which gives us an opportunity to spread the word about some of the industryâs best and brightest producers. These individuals are creating some of the biggest staples in music, and itâs beyond fitting for them to get some love out there. Naturally, thereâs not a lot who really shine a light on the producers, so weâve taken that lane with âMeet the Producerâ.Â
 Weâre excited to transition the feature directly to the site with this new feature with JazzFeezy. Itâs definitely fitting, and lends to the things I just spoke of because our connection actually came via us showing love for one of the big hits he handcrafted, that being Hardoâs âI Know You Ainât Got Actâ, which also featured rapper T.I.. We tend to post via social media about a lot of the songs we enjoy, and through that post, Feezy hit back showing his gratitude, which ironically is something we donât see a lot of, whether itâs with us, or anyone. Itâs honestly was pretty refreshing, and we knew at that moment we needed to connect with Feezy, who we truly view as one of the gameâs super-producers.Â
 JazzFeezy gives us an open view into his life, what got him to this point, and the things heâs got planned to elevate the production game to an all-new level.Â
 Check out our exclusive belowâŚ
 U.G. Digital Mag: This is really awesome that weâre connecting man. Obviously, itâs been a while since we posted to that track, and it was so dope, but I honestly had never looked into the overall production. Once I saw your post, and really looked it up, I felt a little crazy. Youâve worked with so many people I follow, from Travis Porter down to T.I. and MGK, who hails from here in Cleveland. Itâs dope to see all youâve done. Kudos for everything youâve done, and thanks again for tagging the post.Â
 JazzFeezy: Iâve been listening to a lot of different motivational speakers, and theyâre basically like have you ever sat down and searched the hashtag of all of your hit records? Thatâs what prompted me, and I saw so many people showing love. He recommended I post, say thanks, and introduce myself. You never know what could from that, whether it be a follow, or a production relationship. Thatâs honestly what I did, and itâs how we ended up here.
 U.G. Digital Mag: I think another thing that makes me appreciate you so much more is so many producers are out there, but they kinda disassociate themselves with âenjoyingâ the fame and wanting to know who really digs their music. They donât really care who is following, and it makes them lose that human side. For you doing this, it shows that side, and my thought is that this is supposed to be fun. I think itâs really cool, and people see that youâre just like them.Â
 JazzFeezy: Of course. Before I started production, I was a lover of music first, and it also goes back to manners. If someone shows you appreciation, you give it right back. The fact you took the time to show love and post it, it means a lot because without that support, the song is dead. We release these songs by the ten-fold, but itâs the fan appreciation that gives it the longevity. Saying thanks is nothing, but it shows that this is a human being. Comments will say that itâs dope, but you donât really know if itâs a bot or something. To actually say thanks and a few words behind it, it gives that person the idea theyâre talking to a human being.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: Youâre from Canada, right?
 JazzFeezy: Right. Where Toronto is, Iâm about an hour north of there in Barrie, Ontario. If Toronto was like the hubcap, thereâs like an hour of trees, farms, and inhabited land; then you have a city called Barrie, and thatâs where Iâm from.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: Itâs dope man. I connected with Peter Jackson, and I thought he was so dope too. I know you guys have worked together before. What got you into music, and how did it really start?Â
 JazzFeezy: It went back to school. At 16 and 17, I began to see how easy the school system was, and I stopped caring as much. I started doing more with Sony Sound Pro, Fruity Loops 2, and Cool Edit Pro. I started tinkering with it, finished high school, went to school for a computer systems degree, and then realized that wasnât what I wanted to do. My father let me go to a private school called Harris. Itâs basically a studio, but they offer production engineering. Itâs a 1 year program where itâs all year, minus Christmas break. Upon completion, they promise you a job, but there was nothing, and I was always on the Toronto scene. It was like around â07, and Peter Jackson was just starting out. A lot of guys in the city were doing their thing, including Kardinal Official. I went to the battle of the beatmakers, and I met Matthew Samuels who is Boi-1da, and T-Minus from Ajax, and I kept in contact with them and kept sending them beats. I had the drive and just kept following music man. Iâm also too stubborn man. Itâs like a cockroach, where no matter how many times you try to get rid of them, they just keep lasting.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: I think youâre perfect for this column though. Thereâs a lot of people who know your work, but itâs been easy for them to overlook. Youâre behind so many people. What comes next, and what more do you have planned?
 JazzFeezy: In 2016, I put down the roots by working with a lot of labels. One of my managers, G. Roberson, has me locked in for a few different projects, so Iâve been working on those. Weâve been plugging away since October.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: In terms of your brand, what plan is there for continuing to get yourself out there? I compare you already to the biggest names like Dre. Where do you want things to go, and what outcome do you envision?
 JazzFeezy: I always write my plans down. If youâre familiar with the Boi-1da kit series, I created the first one with him.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: Right. I know you have your own kit as well.Â
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JazzFeezy: Right. I have one now, but in May, Iâll do volume II. I think itâll bring more people to it. Every 3-4 months, depending on what people want, Iâll continue the kit series. There might be sample versions where itâs essentially just playing a piano and putting an effect on it, similar to what Cardiak does. Thatâs all thatâs all these sample kits are. I think Frank Dukes and Q-Beats made that famous, but I want to continue on the lineage of the drum kits. Other than that, I do have a logo and I want to get into the merchandising side of things. Maybe snap backs, T-shirts, and real merch. If Dr. Dre ever did merch, people would buy it ten-fold. I guess thatâs just not what he wants to do. Itâs a lot of ideas that once I get into a certain atmosphere of being known, thereâs a lot that Iâll have in the works. Property out here is very cheap, so I want to buy like an acre of land and build my own house, but on the back end have my own studio, almost like an Air-Bnb. I could have like 10-20 people, or like a production room, and have two rooms attached. Itâll be like a studio and Air-Bnb where people can stay at your spot. It makes it even more a commodity because artists will realize they can stay at the studio and not have to leave. Just think how much more work gets done. Theyâll hate to leave, and have come back to get in that mind frame again.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: I love the mindset. It makes perfect sense, and itâs outside the box. Not many have thought that through, and it really makes sense and goes next level. I say why not?
 JazzFeezy: Absolutely. It all comes down to having better funding. The more cuts you have and credibility, people are more likely to get it and invest in you that much more.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: In terms of Canada, do you look to take any of this back to that area? There seems to be so many artists there without the proper voice behind them. Itâs really growing in that sense.Â
 JazzFeezy: Thatâs why I want to build the studio to have the infrastructure. We have some great studios, such as Metalworks, and Phase One Studios, but I donât think those places are giving back in that way. I find thereâs a lot of big sessions that producers go to, and they donât necessarily keep notes about the experience. I start sessions off with my notepad, and at the end, I write down what we covered. Down the road, I want to write a book, and give my experiences. Instead of selling it, I can give it away like a 20-page E-book, maybe as part of a subscription. If people want it, then down the road take it into a book where there is a mentorship. I just donât think Canada is the platform where we have enough people to do seminars. Truthfully, all of our talent goes to New York, to L.A., to Atlanta, and to Nashville. People rarely stay here.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: I think it makes sense. A lot of places are that way where their talent will go to other areas, and in a sense, itâs like that here in Cleveland. The city is growing so much though, and people are now trying to build here so you donât have to leave. Will that ever happen in Canada?Â
 JazzFeezy: You know what? I donât know. Thereâs this mystique about L.A., and I canât explain it. Over time Iâll talk to an artist, and they get hooked. They say L.A. has exactly what we have, but itâs also the weather. If we have a few producers come together and the proper infrastructure is there where we can set it up, they may stay. America just gives more opportunity. The actual budget you can get is much more in the states, and you just feel more valued in the states.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: I get it. I love everything you have, and Iâve been going through your site. I like the set up, and can honestly say I havenât seen it from very many producers. You make it a point to connect with your listeners, and again, I donât see it a lot. Itâs dope and game-changing. Youâll go a long way.Â
 JazzFeezy: It also helps with publications like yours and people who take the time. If someone takes even an email just to say Iâm from here, and please check out my music, Iâll give them feedback whether itâs good or bad. Iâm never out there to crush dreams, but if someone clearly recorded something on their computer and you can hear the reverb and mom cooking dinner in the background, then Iâll let them know it was a good first attempt, but if they want to take it seriously, then hereâs what they can do. Itâs only as serious as you want it to be. A guy wrote me back and said nobody took him seriously and that he was 16 and really wanted to do this. I was 16 once, but if you really want to do it, then youâll find a way to get to where you want to be.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: Exactly. What is the biggest take away from the time youâve put in? Whatâs been the biggest lesson?
 JazzFeezy: Oh man, I think itâs patience. When it comes to it, there have been situations where I know I got the cut, I know itâs on the album and everything is good to go, and then 6-months later, were still finishing paperwork and youâre still waiting to get paid. I think the mystique of people in the limelight who show you they have the money, cars, and whatever, thatâs cool, but most of that is their advance. They never say 6-months from now, this will be happening. Itâs too much smoke and mirrors. When youâre actually in it, you just know that if you get paid, say $10,000, it may be your budget over the next 3 months. If youâre going to do it properly, you wonât blow it on something stupid. Youâll slowly invest in yourself and use the money you need to get by until you learn the art and respect of money so that when you do get a good lump sum of money, youâre not throwing it away.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: Right. Now where can everyone check you out online? Facebook, Instagram, etc?
 JazzFeezy: Twitter, IG, Facebook, and the website. My handle is @Jazzfeezy. People speak of Snapchat and Linked In, but you donât have to do them all at once. I need to get more credits, stay creative, keep working, and keep following up with different A&Rs, artists, and managers. Down the road, Iâll do the whole Snap Chat thing.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: I really appreciate this opportunity. This is something we love to do, showcasing producers man.Â
 JazzFeezy: I appreciate that as well. The other thing is itâs become this âcoolâ thing [for producers] to not have things in publications like your, and people just see songs that you do. I think itâs just the big producers who are doing articles, and the other producers are less likely to reach out and do it. To me, it makes no sense. The reason Dr. Dre doesnât do a lot of interviews is heâs working. Thatâs fine, but if youâre my level, you should do every publication you can. You need them to help you, otherwise people wonât know your story.Â
 U.G. Digital Mag: Right. Any kind of final thoughts at all?
 JazzFeezy: It goes back to what Iâve learned the most. I think the biggest mistake Iâve seen is if you go to a networking party, and you get different email addresses for other producers, A&R people, or labels mates, I think the biggest mistake people make is they try to hit them up a week, month, or year after the fact. The best thing to do is hit them up right away so they at least know youâre serious. People always blame the A&R, but if the producer doesnât even make the attempt to reach out, they donât need the new guy. If you want to get into that infrastructure, you have to make that connection. So the best advice I can give is to follow up. You never know what kind of relationships can spark. The only one who suffers is that person.