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RMB Justize has advice for struggling music producers on staying creative
The last time we spoke with RMB Justize, the Grammy-nominated producer released his debut project, Origami. We caught up with him again and his work has not stopped since.
He recently released his third project, Six One.
Justize dubs Six One as a “part three” of Origami. The new concept shares some similarities with the debut album like the feel. However, he did upgrade it by giving it a refined, more mature sound.
Once tracks and lists were put together, the story of Six One came together on its own. The new sound includes talented acts like Adot, Chris California, and Thorn.
The refreshed sound was also a result of newer technology.
Justize made this project into his own playground. He played around with the structure of each track, compared to what he’s used to.
“I did a lot of things differently as far as arrangement of the songs. I know sometimes I’ll get caught in the motive. You know, gotta have two verses and two hooks. I kind of played around with it a little more…as far as doing bridges…we put some voicemails in there just to kind of give it some more atmosphere. “
RMB’s goal of creating an atmosphere goes deep. He creates an energy that makes people feel they can see the song versus just listening to it. By digging deeper, he created a 10-track adventure for his fans to embark on.
The sixth track on the album, “Side Note” featuring Lyfe Harris starts off with a voice note. The phone message includes a woman asking a man what did he do, and follows up by asking if her number was blocked.
By starting the song off this way, Justize acknowledges people will vibe out to it and unconsciously zone out. Then, the goal is the listener will sit down and rethink what they just heard.
Making music during COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic shifted the way many people do their jobs. Thankfully, for RMB Justize, he still had access to the studio. His main home studio is at his relatives’ home, which is only a 10-minute drive from his suburban Chicago neighborhood.
Justize’s second setup, at his home, is more of a personal space.
“Once COVID got a little more serious, I didn’t have any clients come in. I had to set up certain ways as far as remote mixing songs or remote mastering songs, even remote recording. I have a system where I can get on the internet with the other person in real-time…If they have their equipment set up, they can also do it in real-time and I can monitor that.”
The system is used on rare occasions, but Justize has no problem adjusting. Through the convenience of Google Drive, Dropbox, and emails, file transfers are seamless.
Ultimately, the music producer’s game plan didn’t shift much amid Coronavirus. The majority of his work happens at home.
Black Lives Matter in music
It’s difficult to ignore the ongoing fight for justice for Black lives. This movement has inspired RMB Justize to change his music angles moving forward. He’s extremely aware of how important BLM is that he even considered shifting his release date. Six One hit the masses on the same week George Floyd was killed by police officers.
Justize recalls worrying about not getting enough promo on the album or even eyes. He hoped the project made an impact.
“At the very least, I have to take into account what’s going on. It makes me think of what type of music I’m going to make. It makes me think of what I’m going to say or how I’m going to approach certain topics. This is bigger than everything. I keep [BLM] in my pocket because it’s nothing to look past. It’s a pretty serious thing.”
In the age of information, especially where everything is being documented, RMB advises the public to be intentional with what they say.
While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, “once you’re on front street, you’re on front street and it’s gonna be kind of hard to come back,” said Justize.
Cancel culture is prominent in today’s internet. With that being said, approach everything with caution. We’ve seen a few internet personalities take Ls recently, like Tokyo Jetz and B.Simone.
Next steps
While Six One is fairly fresh, RMB Justize is already thinking about what’s next. The producer said he would love to work with Summer Walker, 909Memphis, who he has made music with before; Giveon, who was featured on Drake’s “Chicago Freestyle“; and Shordie Shordie, a rapper from Baltimore.
Justize shares he likes to work with people who have a melodic sound. If you’ve heard some of his songs, you will notice the connection.
The producer reiterated the importance of having freedom when making your own music. He wants to remind people that no matter what type of music equipment they have, they can still make something happen.
RMB uses an innovative method to help aspiring producers make music. He utilizes Instagram Live to show how he creates music from scratch.
“I might get on Instagram Live for an hour to make the beat, do some production, come back, and do the vocals live. Then, I mix the record live.”
The behind-the-scenes engagement allows fans to learn, ask questions, and also, give RMB Justize ideas. While he can’t “give all the sauce away”, using a live platform also allows the world to see him mess up–a human thing.
RMB notes that making music can also be overwhelming, especially when you want to get a lot done.
“It always helps to go to sleep, come back with fresh ears…you will tear yourself apart trying to just, you know, do the quantity over quality thing when really, it should be vice versa.”
If you find yourself stressed, “give it a break and come back.”
Six One is now available on all major platforms.