Producer and songwriter Mike Will Made It (born Michael Len Williams II) has collaborated with Kelly Rowland, Miley Cyrus, Jay Z, Kanye West, Rihanna, and Beyoncé (specifically on “Formation”), and yet remains a somewhat obscure figure himself. At least, he was. The New Yorker recently shadowed him for a profile that brings his creative process and production style to light.
Born in Atlanta in 1987, Will got his big break, so to speak, working with Gucci Mane. He was 17 years old at the time. That association led to other collaborations with rappers like Future and Meek Mill, and his work on Miley Cyrus’ 2013 “We Can’t Stop” broke him into the mainstream.
For the uninitiated, a Mike Will Made It beat is known by its swampy, muddy, hard-hitting drums and melodic elements from synthesized piano and woodwinds, influenced by Dr. Dre, Timbaland, and fellow Atlanta native Shawty Redd.
Currently, Will runs his own label and production company, Ear Drummer Records, where he maintains a casual vibe; musicians, other producers, managers, and entourage members hang out off and on during business hours. Will thrives in this environment, putting great stock in spontaneity and group dynamics during his creative process. His production and recording sessions include a lot of jamming and messing around, but none of it is aimless.
“Mike could lock you in a studio for five days and not play the same beat twice,” Cyrus said of her recording process with Will, adding that “he never ever second-guesses his ear.”
Former producer and current Apple executive Jimmy Iovine agrees, saying that Will “understands the record, he understands the artist, and he understands the idea,” and that a producer’s job is ultimately to capture ideas.
Ultimately, The New Yorker‘s profile of Mike Will Made It depicts a young man adapting to success—as well as anyone could—after being suddenly thrown into it. For all his accomplishments thus far, he’s still focused on working and making art.
Read the profile in full here.
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