Mayhem Meech Talks How To Get Your Foot In The Door As A Producer, Working With LUCKI, & More
I connected with producer Mayhem Meech. Mayhem Meech is one of the producers who has helped launched artists Lucki's career. His beats have landed him placements with a variety of different artists from Adamn Killa to Warhol.SS. He has a lot of new music on the way coming at you sooner than you think so make sure you keep an eye out for that.
Where are you from? What was your upbringing like? And what was the music scene like in your area growing up?
I’m from the South Side of Chicago so growing up around that time was crazy but you know it’s regular. I did everything other kids were doing school, parties all that type of stuff. In my area, Keef, Durk, Herb and Bibby was hot at the time and King Louie basically that whole drill wave was going on so you know it’s a lot of people.
How did you first get into producing music? How long have you been producing? Who did you look up to when you were first starting? Any big influences?
Just going to parties and shit like that I used to want to be a DJ when I was a kid and make juke music when I was like 12 so I downloaded FL Studio but that didn’t last too long. Me, Plu2o Nash, and Adio all went to the same school so you know we’d be at each other cribs making beats that’s how this really started. A big influence in music when I first started was Lex Luger I feel like he started most of this sound we here nowadays. I was also drawn to MexikoDro who started his own wave with Pluggz.
You've done countless song with Chicago based rapper, LUCKI. How did you two first connect and what's your relationship like with him?
I don’t even know when I met LUCKI we were young as hell though I know it was at a party or something like that though probably like 2009 but yeah that was bro.
You produced "Run W Me" released off of LUCKI's "Freewave 2" in the summer of 2016. Can you run us through making that beat? How did LUCKI end up hopping on it?
Every time we really start working together he always plays other music he’s working on at the time so you we can get started on a vibe and so I know what type of stuff he wants. I was listening to everything that was on there and I was thinking like this could be what’s it’s missing a beat like this something up tempo. We were at a studio I was working at the time so that’s where we recorded at. I made the beat and recorded the song. It was quick though it’s like when he heard it all instantly clicked and we came up with that.
You and Plu2o Nash produced "Show Time" released off of LUCKI's "Watch My Back" in the May of 2017. How did you link up with Plu2o, can you run us through collaborating on that beat with him? How did that beat end up in LUCKI's hands?
Yeah, Plu20 is actually my cousin you know it’s sum weird family shit but we knew each other since kids. Been making beats together since we start making beats so it was just another regular day wit us. I think we made that beat at his crib though just messing around and LUCKI came over his spot, he heard the beat and I think I recorded that song too all at Plu2o’s crib that same way. We always got some type of studio set up in the crib so we can make sure we always get something done.
You produced "Trust me" with Adio and Plu20 Nash by Thouxanbanfauni released in September of 2018. How did you connect with Adio, Plu20, and Fauni? What was it like collaborating with them on the beat? How did Fauni end up hopping on that beat?
On this day we were all in the studio with Fauni because had a show in Chicago. Plu2o and him had been linking a lot around that time so he pulled up to the studio and we were making beats just vibing, he fucked with the beat instantly and that’s what we came up with.
You produced "No Pressure" by Warhol.SS in December of 2016. How did you connect with Warhol? Can you run us through making that beat? How did Warhol end up on the beat?
Warhol.SS that’s my boy he from the crib too, bro record like 5, 6 songs a session though he really work fast. I’ll pull up something and he hear something he like you know he’ll just fuck with it but this day he really liked that beat he heard it and got right on it. I think that’s one of my favorite songs I produced with him, it’s just got that energy.
How did you get your first placement? Any recommendations for producers trying to get their foot in the door and get their first placement?
The first artist really messing with me was Adamn Killa. We really started making music together he had like 2 or 3 songs out and I had been making beats for a while but it was really the start of both of us making music. I fuck with bro forever for that, shit just made me feel like it was potential there. He had linked up with Yung Lean and they made a song together called “Jug Man” and that was like my real first major placement or at least with somebody with a big following. My advice for somebody trying to get their first placement I would say just keep sending beats to artists and try new stuff, you never know what the artist wants to rap on or how they are feeling at the time. Just keep sending and keep working, perfect your craft.
Lessons you've learned that you wish you knew when you first started out as a producer?
Everybody gone make mistakes that’s how learn so you gotta have those lessons so you won’t make mistakes. I just wish I was more aggressive, I’m real laid back I just let everything fall in place but if i was more urgent about stuff I feel like I’d be 10x further then I am now but everything will fall in place.
What differentiates you from the rest of the producers out there?
You gotta stay ahead of the game. Do new stuff before everybody else that’s when people will slowly start copying you and doing things you already did. But just how I go about situations and my music alone. I just feel like I’m different, I don’t want to be predictable.
What's on the horizon for your music career in 2019? Any upcoming projects or songs you're working on?
Just finishing out the year it’s only a month left so we just working and perfecting stuff right now. We just got done with SG Batman tape “Nobody Safe". He hard, he one of the best Chicago rappers right now he’ll be signed by next year or at least taking that next step you’ll feel me. Another rapper out our own camp is“Von Gotti” he gone have a nice 2020 with the stuff we’re working on now so y’all should be looking out for him too. I got a lot of stuff on the way though, got some work with a couple Detroit artist that I did with Plu2o and a lot of other stuff we just been working, whenever stuff drops it just drops but it’s definitely stuff on the way.