Mitch Mula Talks Studio Sessions With Juice WRLD, How He Linked With Maxo Kream, & More
Platinum producing legend Mitch Mula has been able to leave his a footprint in this game. He has been able to stack multiple placements with some of the faces of this rap game, including Juice WRLD, Maxo Kream, Lil Duke, Famous Dex, and more. He has got a lot of new music coming this year with some big names, so make sure to keep an eye on him this year. He's going to continue to put out some of the best you'll hear.
Where are you from? What was your upbringing like? What's the music scene like in your area? And who were you listening to growing up?
I'm from Broward County, Florida, Miramar, to be specific. But I kind of grew up in Akron Ohio since that's where I went to Highschool. The music scene in both places was real underground. We didn't have people from our city popping on a mainstream level in Akron or Broward. I'm Guyanese [South American], so what I listened to growing up was heavy roots reggae, dancehall, and soca. I got introduced to hip hop through a neighbor around the age of six or seven.
When did you decide you wanted to produce music? Where does your sound originate from? And any influences that helped create your sound?
I started focusing on producing when I blew my knee out during my senior season playing college football, and music was the only other somewhat developed skill set I had at the time, that was 2015/2016, so about four years ago. My sound originates from my upbringing and my love of music in general regardless of the genre I was always the friend that put on "weird" music when I had the aux. There are a ton of different influences on my sound, and mainly my process is just experimentation. I'm influenced heavily on how I feel or what I'm dealing with at the time good, bad, excited, disappointed, etc.
There are so many people who want to produce as a career, but only a fraction of those people make it. How did you make it as a producer? What made you different from all the other people that tried but failed? Any tips for producers trying to establish themselves?
I "made it" as a producer the day I decided to do it. To me, that was the only option, and the only choice was to make it. To me, making it is a mindset that you should control and determine, its not a dollar amount or an accolade, its the ONLY option when you decide to commit your life to something. What makes me different is a few simple things that I pride myself on, preparation, organization, the mentality of greatness, and a hunger for learning and getting better. Producers trying to establish yourselves, I suggest keeping your sound original, be the best you, focus on what YOU'RE doing, and not the noise around you.
This past December, we lost one of the more talented artists the rap game has seen in years, Juice WRLD, who you had the pleasure working with. You produced a few songs for him, but my favorite Mitch Mula x Juice WRLD track is "Scared Of Love" featured on his debut album "Goodbye & Good Riddance". How did you end up connecting with Juice on that song? Run us through making that beat, and how did it get into Juice's hands? Were you able to collaborate in the studio on that song?
Peaceful journeys to Juice. We linked through my team and his team super early on, that was the last of 5 songs we did at the time, and it just felt special. This session was different. He freestyled that song 20 times but 20 different freestyles with 20 different hooks, 20 different topics, 20 different verses you see where I'm going here. We lost a legend.
Another one of your more prominent placements is with Houston artist, Maxo Kream. How did you guys first link-up? How did "Go" (feat. D Flowers) come together? Were you able to collaborate in the studio on that song? If so, can you run us through that session? And what's your relationship with Maxo?
Maxo and I linked the same way, my team, and his team. We made that in the studio funny thing is he picked like ten beats, but when he heard that one, he jumped on it immediately. Maxo the homie, I was just with him in the studio in LA a few weeks ago, he one of my favorite artist cuz (no pun intended) what he brings to the game, the raw storytelling, the effortless delivery and when he tells these stories on his songs you can feel the truth and pain. He's a great author.
You also had a placement on Lil Duke's most recent album "Blue Devil 2". You and Cito on the beat produced "Wet Like A Boat" (feat. Lil Yachty & Lil Keed). How did that beat get into Lil Duke's hands? Do you know how Yachty and Keep ended up hopping on it as well? Run us through making the beat? Were you able to collaborate in the studio on that song? If so, can you run us through that session?
Ha! That situation also happened the same way my team and his team connected. A strong team wins every time! That was the first beat Cito, and I made, and it was specifically for them, which is never usually how things go for me. They were all in Cleveland on tour I sent the beat to my partners. They played it, and all of them jumped on the beat and went crazy. I was in jersey at Cito's studio at the time.
You're not just a producer; you're also an engineer. What made you want to do both? What have been the benefits of being both an engineer and a producer? Would you recommend that producers should learn how to do both?
Man, I started engineering due to a lack of resources, we were in Atlanta in 2017 during a session with Pablo Juan and didn't have an engineer willing to pullup to the home studio, so I had no choice but to figure it out on the spot. Two years later, I have engineered two gold songs one that's about to go platinum that I also produced ("Scared Of Love") and the other the album that its on is about to go platinum and has a remix with Lil Wayne, "Leaked" by Lil Tjay. They are both also Top 5 billboard charting projects. And hell yeah, I tell producers all the time to learn to engineer, it makes you more valuable in any room and will also secure you more placements at least.
You have been able to network yourself very well and land placements with some of the biggest names in rap. How did you build up your placements with all these giant names? Any advice for a producer who might have a good sound but is clueless on how to get his beats into these significant artists' hands?
Man, it's teamwork and having people, whether it be friends or business partners. Plug yourself in with the right people, but at the end of the day, you have to have that product, that blue magic that is undeniable, so when you get in that room, it speaks for itself. I've never had to sell a beat to an artist in a room by dancing or freestyling, or none of that, I open the pack and let the product sell itself.
What's one thing you learned so far in your producing career that you wish you knew when you first started?
What I wish I knew earlier was that texting beats directly to an artist is the best way to do it.
What can we expect from Mitch Mula in 2020? Any upcoming placements we should keep our eye on?
I'm not gone say much; there's a whole lot going on, and we only in February, but there is way more to come. Also, GO GRAB MY SPLICE PACK RIGHT NOW!! Theirs some serious stuff in there. Love!
Prod credits - "Scared of Love" By Juice WRLD | "Go" By Maxo Kream | "Mitch" By Yo Gotti | "New Flex" By Asian Doll (feat. Lil Tjay) | Lil Wayne | T.I. | Rich The Kid | Famous Dex | Montana of 300 | T-Pain | YFN Lucci | Chinese Kitty | and more.