RYAN LITTLE INTERVIEW
Hip-hop as a genre is often recognized for its boisterous lyrics and the flashy lifestyles they portray. Braggadocio, bling and a “can’t tell me nothing” attitude have been an integral part of many rappers’ rise to the top. Yet for some, hip-hop is as much about the quiet moments alone as the adoration of thousands of fans. For those whose brand of hip-hop is more basement than crowded club, there’s Ryan Little. The North Carolina-based producer has made a career out of tranquil, melodic beats that are more lo-fi than those that accompany lyrics about approving million-dollar deals from an iPhone. Now, he’s telling his side of the story.
Vivid Seats: Tell us about yourself. For those that don’t know, who is Ryan Little?
Ryan Little: What’s up, everyone! I’m Ryan Little. I’m a music producer, content creator, and brand ambassador from North Carolina. I upload and host music on various streaming platforms, while also creating video content surrounding my production and that of other companies. Outside of that, I enjoy time with my family, time at the gym, and I’m really big into watching YouTube videos. Oh, and I’m a big football guy (#WhoDat nation in the building).
VS: How did you get into music production?
RL: Long story short, I’ve always been into music, ever since I was young. I was always listening to music growing up (it was primarily Gospel since a lot of music wasn’t really allowed in the house haha). Roughly, it was around high school where I began producing music. At that time, a few of my friends were doing it, and I had always wanted to try it, so I did. I dabbled in it for a few years and kept it going during through my freshman year of college as a hobby, but I began taking it more seriously after a run-in with Swoozie (a very popular YouTuber) via Ustream and Xbox Live. To keep a long story short, it was that run-in lead to one of my tracks being in one of his YouTube videos. It was at that point where I thought, “Well, if THIS guy thinks my music is good enough to be featured on his YouTube channel, then maybe I might actually have a chance at succeeding with this.” I’ve been going ever since.
VS: How do your ties to North Carolina affect your music?
RL: I’m not sure if there is one specific thing about North Carolina that affects my music, but what I know is that there is a lot of talent that has come from here, and there is even more talent just waiting to be discovered. So, though it may not affect the style of my music, it does affect its quality, because I want people to know that we’re just as good as any other state putting out music. It’s more of a pride thing.
VS: What does your music making process look like?
RL: Primarily, I’m a sample-based producer, so my process starts by digging/listening to samples. Once I find something that I like, I begin to work my magic by chopping the sampling, changing its pitch/tempo, adding effects to it, etc. I’ll also add my own instruments on top of the sample to help differentiate it from other productions. Afterwards, I’ll add drums. Finally, I’ll arrange the track, mix it, and master it, and I’m done. Though there are a variety of factors that can affect the timing, a track will usually take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
VS: You release new music every Monday. How did that start?
RL: Though I don’t exactly remember when I had this realization, one of the things that I noticed was that most of the successful YouTubers were releasing videos on certain days during the week. It was almost like they were treating their channels like TV shows. By releasing a video on a set day and time weekly, it not only builds consistency, but it makes it easier for your audience to know when you were releasing content. Consistency + Anticipation + A Great Product = MAJOR AUDIENCE REACH AND GROWTH.
VS: As a producer, how important is collaboration to you?
RL: It’s really interesting because I’ve only began to recognize its importance in my journey over the past few years, but to answer your question, it’s very important to me. For one, it allows you to be introduced to an audience that you may not have reached without the other collaborator. Also, and arguably most importantly, it can force you to grow as a creator. For one, you might have to create something that’s either a little out of your comfort zone or lower in the strengths. Along with that, you might have to find ways to combine your strengths and talents with someone else’s in order to create something special. Those experiences will force you to grow, and that growth will serve its purpose even more as you continue to collaborate with others. Finally, it allows you to build a relationship with the other entity that could bring so much value to you both along the way
VS: Who would you like to collaborate with next?
RL: To be honest, I want to make music with my friends/up-and-coming artists who are part of this life. If I were to name a few of those, it would be artists like Pat Junior, Keenon Rush, Riian Raquel, and NighLawn. If we’re discussing producer collaborations, then I’d love to work with Commoninterest, Ninjoi, Mr. Chase, Outside of friends, I’d love to work with Mick Jenkins (hands down one of the best rappers to ever touch a microphone in my opinion), Kendrick Lamar, Flume, J. Cole, Isaiah Rashad, Mez, Eshon Burgundy...too many to name, honestly. I also want to collaborate with a few fashion brands by either creating the music for their next campaign or modeling (it’s not music related, but I’d love to do it).
VS: Sites like Hypebeast constantly feature your music in their videos. What is it like to hear your songs in content featuring artists like Migos’ Offset?
RL: It’s humbling, but also affirming at the same time. When I first started producing, I never thought that my music would be reaching the millions of people that it does. There are a ton of producer/music makers in this world, so for my music to be chosen is truly amazing. Again, part of this goes back to relationships that I’ve built along the way, but just to have even done that to get here is amazing.
VS: As a musician, you’re tapped into the scene. What sites/avenues do you recommend for those looking to discover music?
RL: I have to say that Spotify does an extremely good job at recognizing your music tastes and developing playlists to cater to that taste, which usually entails introducing you to new artists who create the genres that you enjoy. Secondly, though I’m uncertain of its future, I still go to SoundCloud daily to discover new and up-and-coming producers. I’m always floored when I hear what some of these kids (using this word even though I’m not that much older than then haha) are doing these days. They are so young but have so much talent and creativity! Lastly, but certainly not least, I have to shout out Audiomack. Though I’m new to the site, they’ve taken it upon themselves to work with me and to make sure that music hits as many ears as possible. Their trending section is amazing, and regardless of who you are, if you make good music, you have an excellent chance of getting your much heard on Audiomack. They really are for the betterment of artists and want to see us succeed.