This is the latest entry in EWs 2018 Songs of Summer series.
1 on Billboards Hot 100 chart.
Lindstrom, 24, has carved a niche for himself as a go-to producer for trap music.
Credit: Tristan Kallas
How did you get your start producing?My boy actually introduced me to it.
I listened to Led Zepplin, AC/DC, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Nirvana, Aerosmith really almost everything.
When I got older I really started to love the beats of trap music.
In the beginning, I wanted to work with Slim Duncan.
He actually passed away right around when I started making beats.
What about your influences now?I listen to a lot of different music.
I have a really open ear when it comes to music in general.
You have to know your history and learn everything you’re free to, you know?
A lot of times when I make a different style beat I dont even know what Im making.
Im literally just creating music and it comes out a certain way.
How did you connect with Drake?We connected in Toronto through the scene.
Basically just through mutual friends at parties and stuff.
I dont know, samples are just like unlimited ideas, you know?
Sometimes a lot of people sample one song.
Some artists dont want to use samples that other artists have used and some dont care.
Im down with whatever because everyone is going to flip the sample differently anyway.
Were you looking specifically for Nice for What?Kind of.
My manager had the idea of using a Lauryn Hill record.
I f with Lauryn Hills music but I never grew up with it in my household or anything.
I saw her perform last year and that was dope.
Id say we had it done in like an hour and a half.
It was dope to be part of it since it turned into such a womens empowerment song.
Do things normally go that smoothly?
How long does it typically take you to knock out a beat?My process is pretty immersive.
To make a beat it can take me anywhere from 10 minutes to hours.
For a song, anywhere from 10 minutes to a really long time.
I like it to be an effortless process but sometimes it ends up being much longer.
How do you know when a beat is finished?God tells me.
God told me when Nice for What was done.
Did you see Lauryn Hills remix of Nice for What?
What did you think?It was pretty cool.
I like being a part of history.
Her version was crazy.
Its a very empowering song for women and I liked being part of that.
