Upcoming 100: What inspired you to start making music, and what keeps you passionate about it?
Loagz Beatz: What inspired me was the diversity in music that was handed down to me by my parents. My father and mother had totally different tastes in genres of music and it gave me a well rounded appreciation for it. I learned guitar as a teenager and it has kept me passionate about it ever since. When I started making money from it, it really fueled me to keep going. I enjoy it and have been producing, mixing, and mastering for years now.
Loagz Beatz: What inspired me was the diversity in music that was handed down to me by my parents. My father and mother had totally different tastes in genres of music and it gave me a well rounded appreciation for it. I learned guitar as a teenager and it has kept me passionate about it ever since. When I started making money from it, it really fueled me to keep going. I enjoy it and have been producing, mixing, and mastering for years now.
Upcoming 100: Can you tell us about your latest project or album? What was the creative process like for this one?
Loagz Beatz: Projects I'm doing as of now mostly are for commercial sync and film. I usually get a briefing of what is needed and create from there. Over the last year I have also released some instrumental beats on my artist page.
Upcoming 100: How do you balance your creative vision with the demands of the music industry?
Loagz Beatz: I balance by not doing too much at once. I have two children, a wife, two pets, etc. The whole 9. I'm also going back to school for my BA so there is always something on my plate. I usually do a skeleton version of a track and work on it throughout the week when my family is asleep at night, either at my house or the studio.
Upcoming 100: Who are some of your biggest influences, and how do they impact your music?
Loagz Beatz: Some of my biggest influences are producers I used to listen to growing up like Timbaland, Scott Storch, J Dilla, etc. As far as bands, I take influences from Sublime, Nirvana, a lot of 80s and 90s bands, reggae artists and folk / band jams like Phish and The Dead. I probably have way too many to write.
Upcoming 100: What's the most important message or theme you want your music to convey to your audience?
Loagz Beatz: I'm not sure if I have a message to send to my audience. I just want them to enjoy the sounds that came from my mind into the physical world.
Upcoming 100: Can you walk us through your songwriting process? Do you have any specific rituals or habits that help you get started?
Loagz Beatz: As far as song writing I don't ever really sit down and say "Ok, I'm going to write a song now." I usually get random ideas throughout my head during the day or night that I jot down on my iphone, or I record simple melodies by humming / whistling into my phone and go back later. Sometimes I forget and review them months later and get inspired. I used to have notebooks for years but have since lost them all moving and just life in general. I don't spend as much time as I would like writing my own songs because I'm always making instrumentals for rappers or sync. I would like to go deeper into my own songs over the next few years though.
Upcoming 100: How do you approach collaborations or working with other artists? What do you look for in a collaborator?
Loagz Beatz: I've collaborated with hundreds of people over the years. From producers sending me loops and ideas via email (I have about 2,200 emails in my folder of loops at the moment) to people emailing me asking for production help. If I'm available and up for it I try to do as much as I can. I look for radio / industry standard material, as well as creative new sounds.
Upcoming 100: What do you think sets your music apart from others in your genre?
Loagz Beatz: My music sets me apart because it's me who's doing it. There is only one Loagz. There will never be another. The closest thing to me will be my son and I wish him the best in his future.
Upcoming 100: How has your music evolved over time, and what do you think are some of the most significant changes you've made?
Loagz Beatz: My music gets a little more polished and better every year, both the instrumentals and songs. The older I get I find myself experimenting more and going back to my childhood for influence.
Loagz Beatz: My music gets a little more polished and better every year, both the instrumentals and songs. The older I get I find myself experimenting more and going back to my childhood for influence.
Upcoming 100: What's been your favorite experience or moment in your career so far?
Loagz Beatz: My favorite experience thus far was probably interning at Bay Eight Studios in North Miami Beach. I got to work with professionals in the industry, meet a lot of people and get life long connections. I slept in my car for a lot of the 6-7 months I was interning but it was a wonderful experience and I wouldn't have changed a thing.
Upcoming 100: How do you stay connected with your fans and build a sense of community around your music?
Loagz Beatz: I am very active with people on X and email. I do have instagram and other platforms but I am mostly connected with others on X. I get hundreds of requests and messages asking for advice or wanting to work every year so keeping up is a bit tough but like I said I try to accommodate everyone I can. I know what it's like to be in the dark with things and sometimes a simple answer can be the game changer for someone. I like to help others.
Upcoming 100: What's next for you – are there any new projects or tours on the horizon?
Loagz Beatz: Next for me is just more sync work and building my catalog. A friend of mine and I are working on a studio by the University of Florida and he has done an amazing job with the building and packing it with wonderful gear. I'm sure we are going to bang out some hits for sure! 2025 let's go!!!
