Producer OZ Breaks Down How DJ Khaled and Drake’s ‘POPSTAR’ & ‘GREECE’ Came Collectively

With 3 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits to his title in significantly less than two a long time, OZ (that is O-Z) understands the stakes are lifted with just about every creation he attaches his title to — but the Turkish beat maestro will never allow that hamper his creativity.

This Friday (July 17), The 28-calendar year-outdated bolsters his by now-spectacular 2020 run by notching a pair of manufacturing credits on Drake and DJ Khaled‘s hopeful summer months anthems: “Greece” and “POPSTAR.”

“Greece” might sound common to 6 God trustworthy, as the lavish track leaked before this yr. It sees Drake experimenting with increased-pitched vocals, even though the Instagram caption-helpful “POPSTAR” is oozing with song of the summertime probable, just after at last coming to fruition nearly a year to the working day OZ crafted the woozy conquer.

Even after developing the Future-assisted “Daily life Is Fantastic,” the ubiquitous “Toosie Slide,” and a pair of Dim Lane Demo Tapes cuts, OZ is just not done just still with a lot more Drake collabs potentially on the horizon. He also names Travis Scott (“SICKO Mode” & “Optimum in the Place”) and Meek Mill as artists he’s functioning along with in 2020.

OZ hopes all of these musical victories inevitably springboard him to his aspiration scenario of using dwelling producer of the year honors at the approaching Grammy Awards, which he’s throwing his name into the mix for the Academy to think about. He is been nominated in different types more than the earlier 4 several years but has hardly ever hoisted the gilded gramophone.

Choose a search at the rest of our job interview with the Switzerland native, as he breaks down creating equally of the new Drake and DJ Khaled collabs, having to pay Drizzy’s Toronto mansion a pay a visit to, his designs to acquire a Grammy, and a lot more.

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Billboard: How was your quarantine in Switzerland? Are things opening up in excess of there?

OZ: Everything’s open and frequent. There are a couple regulations with [wearing a] mask, but other than that, we even have clubs open.

You generated two documents for Drake and DJ Khaled. Let’s start out with how “Greece” arrived with each other.

I manufactured the beat with Tiggi. He sent me a sample and I flipped his sample to make it a lot more uptempo and clubby. I did the drums and then sent it to Drake. He had the defeat and we did not know he was going to do anything. A few of weeks went by, and he despatched the initially strategy back. From there, we understood it was about to be outrageous. The vocals will not seem like the other tunes he has with me. I consider Noel [Cadastre, Drake’s engineer] did Drake’s vocals. We started the music previous tumble and went back-and-forth on the production facet.

How has your chemistry with Drake made considering the fact that finding your initially placement with him on Views to this year’s Dim Lane Demo Tapes?

The romantic relationship really begun past wintertime by means of my supervisor. We met for the to start with time previous wintertime and I’ve been operating on a each day foundation and sending him all forms of beats. I assume he is aware of I’m not just generating 1 kind. I can make anything at all from R&B to tough rap beats and for the club. I am often doing what I sense could be the upcoming wave. The chemistry’s just perfect. He knows I do the job hard and he appreciates that.

He flew me out a couple of times final year. It was not like the other normal classes we know about. It was much more, go there and construct a vibe. The initially time was in Los Angeles — Drake rented a mansion for a bunch of producers on the similar management team as me. The 2nd time we met was in London when we went to see a couple of his demonstrates. When his household was done, we have been also in Toronto at the large mansion. The home is so significant, I do not know how lots of households could live there. He gave me the opportunity to work in his home studio and make beats, which was fresh inspiration for me. I would make beats and deliver them to his cellular phone. When there was anything he felt was fire, he’d enable me know and we might go from there.

Does it really feel bizarre to have this song synonymous with Greece? Each time you listen to it, does it remind you of likely out there?

When I listen to this tune, it offers me the experience that I want to ebook my family vacation proper now and fly out to Greece. I want to be there on the beach, chilling, and listening to new music. I you should not know if there is certainly a music out named soon after a region, but it truly is distinct. Greece is a great position. When I listen to the song, it puts images in my brain like a movie.

Could “POPSTAR” be your fourth No. 1 to top the Billboard Scorching 100?

Who knows, possibly “Greece” or “Popstar?” “Greece” is kind of uptempo and psychological, but “Popstar” is a challenging club history. It could surely go to the No. 1 place. If people today could go to live shows correct now, this would be a ridiculous history to listen to stay.

How was doing work with the creation duo David x Eli on this track?

I manufactured the conquer past summer. I tweeted that I produced it past July, and a calendar year later on it is really heading to materialize. I labored with David x Eli, they’re a producer group from Germany. I believe they’re brothers. I normally open sample packs from producers to see what variety of vibe I’m on. A whole lot of occasions, I’m far too lazy to make my personal samples, so I’ll use other producers to locate a ridiculous melody. I like to collaborate with people. I finished up utilizing their loop to just take this to the subsequent stage.

A large amount of your bigger data are doing the job alongside other producers. Can you discuss to what that collaborative approach is like when producing?

It is really terrific to collaborate with other producers due to the fact everyone has a distinctive ear. Anyone may occur with a outrageous melody with a seem I may possibly have never ever believed about and then I will flip it. There are periods I will do my possess issue, like on “Toosie Slide” or “Time Flies,” which are documents I created by myself, which feels good.

Are producers and artists dealing with you in another way considering that all of your good results? Is it much easier to get placements now?

It’s tough at present, when you’re popping, a lot of men and women are asking for beats and rappers will strike me up like, “I want the pack!” You have to be completely ready. I get my time with my beats, but now I feel the force. I have to deliver a lot more new music, and persons are hitting me up indicating, “We require a hit also!” It’s type of really hard to make all the beats I make from scratch so I like to get co-indications from other producers sending me samples.

I am generally attempting to come across a new seem, I am not just sitting in this article repeating samples. My documents from the final 12 months are so many unique vibes [“Gold Roses,” “Highest in the Room,” “Time Flies,” “Life Is Good,” “Toosie Slide”]. I undoubtedly care about my audio so I never overproduce. I you should not overproduce and make trash-ass beats since I am popping. You continue to have to make high quality beats so you can remain up there.

Your supervisor instructed me you are heading to be submitted for producer of the yr at the Grammy Awards. Is that some thing that has often been a objective of yours?

It has normally been my desire to earn producer of the 12 months. Now that I’ve achieved all of this, it appears sensible that I could be nominated. I arrived this far and it’s seriously achievable I could make my aspiration come genuine. I have been nominated the past four several years on albums and data, but I have by no means received anything at all. It would be mad if my initially earn is for producer of the yr. That’s the highest I can get. I’d be honored, but I know there are so a lot of other producers out there. I believe that in me and my team, so I feel we can make it come about.

Who are we likely to see you doing work with the rest of 2020?

It can be generally the same routine. Just about every year, I attempt to work with the similar artists to get on their albums or make a vintage music. My goal is to just continue to keep likely and make “another one.” I’m working with Drake, Travis Scott, Meek Mill, and Giveon.