What’s good everyone?!? Today, we have a very special guest with us, Los Angeles producer JoogSZN. JoogSZN has worked with many successful Los Angeles artists and artists worldwide. JoogSZN takes his craft very serious and is always looking to keep the creativity growing. We spoke with him about his influences, who he would like to work with, the Los Angeles music scene, his new project Where’s Joog? and more!
1. Where are you from and what was it like growing up there?
I’m from Leimert Park California in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles. Growing up there was smooth I went to hella different schools so I was exposed to all kinds of people in different areas. I used to hoop so I met a lot of people hoopin and people always knew me for having music or something for sale.
2. Growing up what music inspired you to start producing?
I used to play piano but it was kinda stale by itself because who just dances to piano. I listened to Pharrell/N.E.R.D, Dr. Dre, Kanye produced for Jay Z and Quincy Jones produced for Michael Jackson that showed me what a producer does. I heard Nipsey Hussle and Tyler the Creator and was like okay Imma stop bullshitting and actually start making music. I downloaded Fruity Loops off Limewire but I didn’t know how to use it so I put it down for a while.
3. If you could work with any artists/producers who would it be?
It’s a lotta producers I wanna work with Pharrell and Kanye for sure, Cardo, Baby Tron, BabyFace Ray, Peezy, Guap, MoneyMan, Curren$y, Thundercat, Kdot, Damedot, Free Young Thug, Future and Drake.
4. Tell us about your new project Where’s Joog?.
Where’s Joog has been talked about for so long my fans started to think it was like Dr. Dre’s Detox album. They almost thought it was a myth and especially with all the features on it they thought i was cappin. I’m a roadrunner so where’s Joog came from me popping up in random cities and then I got caught up and sent to a federal prison and no one knew where i was so it was a hashtag. I started tucking songs and collecting from recording sessions or songs that got sent back that never made it to a project. I still have many in the vault. I put this project together in a way that if you listen in order it could kind of play out like the soundtrack to a movie. I actually wanted to film a short film but its a lot going on rn.
5. The project has a very diverse set of artists on there, I gotta ask how did you make all this happen lol. You are tapped into many different markets it seems to me.
I really just know some real playmakers. My good people linked me with a few shoutout Picasso & Lil L. Some people I met through Ron Ron or Drakeo and some just heard tracks I did and wanted to work with me. I appreciate everybody who was apart of this project.
6. How do you feel about the current state of Los Angeles music? I see & hear and so many different opinions, I think you are the perfect person to give an opinion. Your contributions to the music scene are timeless.
Los Angeles music seemed to be on the right track at one point when everyone was coo or coo for the most part but politics, beefs and death have kinda set us back. There are some artists that are trying to push and carrying the torch while others artists are just rehashing what is already here. I dropped Where’s Joog to kinda shake things up.
7. Is there any Los Angeles artists you are working with or we should know about?
I actually took a break from working with other artists after Drakeo passed. I damn near said fuck music but then I know he’d be hot, my fans would be hot everybody who believe in me would be hot. I started to develop a sound for myself and to drop this project. I’m now working with more people outside of LA at the moment because I want to expand my reach and continue to develop my sound.
8. Tell us about Traffic Music?
Traffic Music is a nod to California’s car culture. We love cars. Fast cars foreign cars I’ve had more than 12 cars I either built or bought and my cars for the most part had knock. Traffic Music has to SLAP in the car. It’s where people in California mostly enjoy music anyway right I guess besides the club or the gym. It’s really our version of Trap music.
9. You are apart of HitMob, that’s a team of producers. How did that come about?
RonRontheProducer & I formed HitMob with AcetheFace and recruited other members along the way. Some left to do their own thing and it’s still love there and others were weird and got cut off. Besides us Quadwoofer, Menace & LDTHAMONSTA are the producers that make up HitMob now.
10. Anything else you want the world to know…
Go check out Where’s Joog, more videos on the way, Follow HitMob and stay dangerous this summer.
