Vocal-First Rap & R&B Mixing

Q: What are you working on at the moment?

A: Recording and mixing Hip-Hop and R&B artists, producing new records and beats, and expanding my engineering and production catalog through Certified Raw Entertainment.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: I’ll protect your vision, communicate clearly, and give your record the same attention I’d give my own. I don’t call it finished until it sounds right and translates the way it should.

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: What’s the goal for the record? What reference tracks match the sound you want? Do you need mixing only, mix and master, vocal editing/tuning, or production? Is there a deadline, and are all stems/files ready to go?

Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A: Hire someone who understands your genre and communicates clearly. Send a rough mix, 1–2 reference tracks, and be specific about what you want changed. The clearer the target, the faster the engineer can get you where you want to go.

Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

A: Neumann TLM 103, Avalon channel strip, laptop with Pro Tools and FL Studio, a reliable audio interface, and accurate headphones.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Get the source right before reaching for more plugins. A strong performance, clean recording, good sound selection, and proper levels will get you further than trying to fix everything later in the mix.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: I bring a vocal-first approach, strong musical instincts, and attention to detail. I clean up what needs fixing without over-processing, then build the record around the artist so the vocals hit, the drums knock, and the final mix still sounds like them.

Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

A: “Boot Up” by Syko Bob feat. Baby Soulja is a recent project I’m proud of. I was the Recording Engineer, responsible for capturing the performance and making sure the vocals were recorded clean and ready for the record. Working on records with established artists reinforces why getting it right at the source matters.

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Digital. I like the precision, recall, speed, and flexibility it gives me. I can move quickly, make revisions accurately, and keep sessions consistent without sacrificing the sound or character of the record.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Hearing the moment a record comes together. Taking an artist’s raw idea and helping turn it into something polished, powerful, and ready to release without losing what made the record theirs in the first place.

Q: What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A: “How fast is turnaround?” My typical turnaround is 24–48 hours once I have all the files and references I need. Two revisions are included.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: That mixing and mastering can fix everything. A great final record starts with the performance and recording. My job is to enhance what’s there, solve problems, and make the record translate—not manufacture what wasn’t captured in the first place.

Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?

A: I started making beats around sixth grade and began recording not long after. What started as learning production and engineering for myself grew into years of recording, mixing, mastering, and producing for other artists. Today I run Certified Raw Entertainment and work with artists primarily in Hip-Hop, Rap, and R&B.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Clean, vocal-forward, and hard-hitting. I keep the artist’s character intact while adding clarity, punch, controlled low end, and a polished sound that translates across different systems.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B, and Trap are my main lanes. I also work with Afrobeat and Dancehall, especially records built around strong vocals, drums, and low end.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: Vocal mixing. I know how to get vocals clean, clear, and upfront without losing the artist’s natural tone. I build the mix around the performance so the voice stays the focus while the drums and low end still hit hard.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: You send labeled stems or a rough mix, BPM, and 1–2 reference tracks. I organize and edit first, build the mix around the vocal, then handle final processing and delivery. Typical turnaround is 24–48 hours, with 2 revisions included.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I’m based in Tampa, FL. My setup includes a Neumann TLM 103, Avalon channel strip/compressor, Slate Raven touchscreen monitors, Yamaha HS-series monitoring with a 15-inch subwoofer, Pro Tools, FL Studio, iZotope Ozone, API 550B, and BF-76.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: Mixing, recording, vocal editing, and mastering for Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B, and Trap. I focus on clear, forward vocals, hard-hitting drums, controlled low end, and a polished final record that translates across headphones, cars, clubs, and streaming.