From making and playing video games to making beats, this music producer’s journey displays unconventionality. But what are the odds his hobby could lead to a long-term career? Meet LilGeeBeatz, the architect behind Seyi Vibez’s masterpiece “Albert Einstein,” among other great works, as he walks us through his story of becoming a music producer.
Could you tell us about your journey into music production? What inspired you to start, and how did you develop your skills?
LilGeeBeatz: I started making music in secondary school in JSS 3. Back then, I knew many things; I was that cool kid. So I was always in the library or the Music Lab. And I was very curious about how most of these songs were being made. I used to be obsessed with showing off to my classmates. That’s how I got to learn music production.
When I bought the music production software, I thought it was a game because I used to play many games back then in school and helped my friends install them, too. But I figured it wasn’t a game. So, I started learning from YouTube and finding resources online over the years. I was also into graphic design, so I started my YouTube channel 11 years ago. The first video I posted on my YouTube channel was 11 years ago.
The YouTube channel, is it you still on?
LilGeeBeatz: It’s still on, but I don’t want to show anybody it. After that, I started Afrobeats tutorials on YouTube. I was either 15 or 16 years old. I got about 100,000 views cumulatively, with four to five videos. But I stopped because school was getting serious. Then, I continued at the university but didn’t associate myself with any of my school’s artists. I didn’t want to be known as that “school producer” because it tends to get into people’s heads, and they never go past that. So, I was just building my skills. And that’s basically how the whole journey started.
So that means you are self-taught?
LilGeeBeatz: Yeah, self-taught. I never went to any music classes or anything. And I can’t play any instrument even till now. In fact, I didn’t learn music theory until last year. I’m not even that deep into it. I just use my ears. It’s basically just my ears.
Were there specific moments or milestones that made you realize music production was your calling?
Lilgeebeatz: Well, I was just having fun with it, honestly. I never took it as anything serious. Because I have a tech company and was into many businesses growing up. So, I didn’t think of music as something that would pay me until it started paying me.
And I also DJ. I did that for fun, and like I said, I was just being the cool kid, showing my friends what I could do. I started coding as well. I would make small games, calculators in Python, and all that cool stuff. But that’s how it started for me. Honestly, let’s just say I wanted to show off.
Did your family support your passion for music?
LilGeeBeatz: I told my parents I was into music a few months ago. When I wanted to go to Spain for something music-related, I had to tell them so they knew I’d be traveling. But they don’t know what I’m doing, and they never really bothered. They just know that their son isn’t doing anything illegal. They know about my tech company and other businesses I’ve been doing, so they aren’t bothered about what other things I do.
Although growing up, there was a time when my dad seized my computer and took it to a computer engineer to ask them what I was always doing on my laptop in the middle of the night with headphones. You know, that kind of stuff with Nigerian parents. But I just told them about my music production this year.
And how did they take that?
LilGeeBeatz: My dad said I could do whatever I wanted. He prayed that God should pour his blessings on it. You know, all those Nigerian parents stuff now. But, if I had told him a couple years before, he wouldn’t have taken it lightly. But now he knows I’m pretty comfortable making money off the music. I’m buying myself some gear and all that. But yeah, that’s how my parents are. They gave me that free hand and let me mold my own life. So, I’m just a product of my choices at the end of the day.
What would you say fueled your passion for music?
LilGeeBeatz: Do you remember this app on all these old phones that you can use to make beats? All those Nokia phones. That’s how it actually started, I won’t lie. That’s the earliest memory of me being musically inclined. Then, in secondary school, I began making remixes of songs. There’s one remix that I did that got popular, and many people used it. The remix for Panda by Designer.
Many rappers used that. I had an account with NotjustOk. because, at that time, you could post on Notjustok.com for free. So I used to post them. I don’t know if those things are still online, but that was in 2016.
You’ve collaborated with artists like Seyi Vibez, Kashcomimg, Zlatan, and Olamide. What is your approach to collaborating with artists, and how do you ensure the synergy translates into great music?
LilGeeBeatz: Well, I just bring my own vibes. I don’t have time to make beats as much as I used to back in the day. So I just make the beats during the sessions with the artists. And you know, it’s actually very difficult to collaborate with Nigerian artists because they don’t really see your vision. They like to work their own way. But if you can get them to fit into the pockets that you created for them, it always comes out very nice. That’s what happened with the song “How Low” by Kashcoming.
You produced Seyi Vibez’s “Albert Einstein” from his “Loseyi Professor” EP this year. Can you talk more about that?
LilGeeBeatz: First of all, Seyi already had the album complete because you’d have seen that most of the songs on the album were named after cities. What we wanted to do was shoot a video in every city that the song is titled after.
Then, one day, I just went to record his verse for the remix of “Apala Disco” by DJ Tunez and Wizkid to record Seyi’s verse, because DJ Tunez reached out to me. So I pulled up at Seyi’s crib. I asked him what he was working on at the moment. He played some songs on the EP. I’m like, Ah, I think we have to do something different because I don’t want to give the same vibes as what is on your tape.
Then he told me about the whole professor’s idea. He said he wanted something that sounded scientific. But it’s crazy how Nigerian artists describe their music. But yeah, I made the beat in front of him. He did his thing and made some edits. I didn’t even know he was dropping until his management reached out to me for payments and all that stuff.
Your recent work, “Gimme Love” by Zlatan Ibile ft Olamide, is gaining traction online. Can you highlight the story behind the song?
LilGeeBeatz: Okay, so Zlatan just reached out to me personally. I’ve been working with him for a while because I produced this song with Kashcoming with Zlatan in 2020. “Fire Fighter.” Also, Zlatan had done a remix for Kashcoming’s “How Low” with Rayvanny. So ever since then, he’s been telling me to send him beats. Sometimes, he’d say let’s meet up and do something. But it’s either he’s not in Nigeria or busy. So he reached out and said he’s free, so let’s do something. He was also done with his album when we recorded that song.
Then, the next day, he called me to say that Baddo liked the song and wanted to jump on the song. And that’s how the song came to be.
When you see your songs gain traction online, how does that make you feel as a producer?
LilGeeBeatz: It makes me feel like more can be done, and I shouldn’t feel relaxed because I have a million streams or something. I don’t do my own music to count numbers or compete with anybody; I just do my own thing. So I just feel normal, not overexcited. But thankful to God because many people also want to be here.
You and Kashcoming have done a lot of work together. Tell us about the bromance between you two.
LilGeeBeatz: Kashcoming and I go way back. I started working with him in 2015 when I was quite young. And I can say that we’re almost cousins. But don’t tell anybody we’re not cousins. Haha!
Are there any projects or tracks that you’re particularly proud of? What made those projects stand out for you?
LilGeeBeatz: I treat everything in the same regard. I put in the same amount of work in every song. I don’t have any favourite.
Were there moments you thought of quitting? How did you overcome them?
LilGeeBeatz: I’ve never thought of quitting o. For me, it was a means of escape from reality. I have other stuff that I’m doing. Like I said, I just use the music to cool it off whenever I’m not doing them. It’s now that music is work. Before, it was just a means of having fun.
What’s your take on Afrobeats to the world in relation to music production?
LilGeeBeatz: I’ve always known that Afrobeats will be where it is now. Because it’s one of the most rhythmic music in the world.
With regards to production, there’s so much fusion going on. You could make jazz music and add an Afrobeats element, and it’s still an Afrobeats song. Afrobeats is a prominent genre. That’s what I think.
If you could work with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
LilGeeBeatz: Dead. Omo, I want to see Michael Jackson sing on an Afrobeats beat o! Let’s see what he can do, and I would love to produce it. Then alive, I think I’d love to work with Drake. I’ve always just liked him. I liked him more when he transitioned into Afrobeats and Dancehall with the song with Wizkid. I then realized that you can match both cultures and make something beautiful out of it.
Are there specific projects or collaborations we should be expecting?
LilGeeBeatz: Expect lots of great music from me, as always. No details, but there’s a lot in store.
What advice would you give aspiring producers looking to enter the industry?
LilGeeBeatz: The only thing you need is yourself. When people ask me to work with them, I ask them, “What have you been doing?” “what do you have?” Because when you have value, people will see that you are valuable.