Meet Nez Beatz | Music Producer, Artist & Engineer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nez Beatz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nez, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
I would say the most important decision I’ve made so far, was moving to Sacramento, CA after graduating from college for a job, then moving back to New Jersey. Living in Sacramento, allowed me to grow as an individual and figure out my passion and what I truly wanted to pursue. It made get out of my comfort zone as I was in a completely different time zone then my family and friends. I forced myself to go out to meet people at cafes, bookstores, guitar center, concerts, studios, different cities etc. I was able to develop some friendships with some people in and out of work. About 6 months into living there, a few friends from home moved to Sacramento for school and they helped me get locked in even more by introducing me to some artists they met during their time in Sac.

I wrote and recorded my first song in an actual studio, shot my first video, performed at my first show all while being in California. We even built our own studio/booth at home to cut down on recording cost. From there, I learned how to record myself and other artist I worked with and was able to develop my own sound by having my own space to work. After living in Sacramento for a couple years, I decided to move back to Jersey. I thought it would be a good idea to build a foundation where I grew up first before I venture out. When I moved back, I was able to lock in with some friends
who were making music and started to grind to make this hobby a lifestyle. At one point, I released 36 songs in 36 weeks produced, written, mixed and mastered by me. It’s crazy to think we started creating in my boy Jacobe’s basement when I moved back, then decided to start hosting shows with a team of artists in our boys garage, to hosting a show with 75+ people at our first venue with the same team of artists. It’s been a work in progress, but the decision to move to California and back to New Jersey really helped me focus on what I truly want to pursue.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
From a young age, I’ve been around music. I’ve played saxophone, guitar, and drums; never stuck with the instruments, but I built a foundation by playing. My senior year in college I was introduced to FL Studio, and from then until now I’ve been creating music. I consider myself a producer, artists and engineer. What sets me apart from others, I believe I have the ability to create my own unique sound from my musical influences. I am able to take the sounds the all the music I listen to and create and beat from a blank canvas, then turn it into a complete song. I am a self-taught producer, artist, and engineer. The best way I can say I got to where I am today, is by opening my laptop everyday and doing something that revolves around music. Whether it is creating a beat or song, recording an artists, studying interviews, studying studio sessions or actually surrounding myself with artists in the studio. I am proud to say I have no desire to ever stop creating because I truly love this. My goal is to inspire as many people as I can throughout my journey. I can say this is not an easy career to pursue, but I believe only I can stand in the way of achieving my goals. There has been late nights where I am thinking to myself, “is this the right path?”, but music is something I wake up and think about. What most people do not understand about pursuing music, is creating the music is the easiest part part. The backend work end you don’t think about, such as law, marketing, networking, building a fan base, are some things that are the most challenging. I take pride in my work ethic and my passion. To pursue a path such as music takes a lot a of time and patience to create as most people won’t understand the process as they only see or hear the final product.

I have recently been releasing singles, but I have been thinking about working out a project to show the growth as an artist over the years. I’m excited to see what the next years hold for me and the people I surround myself with as well. I have a group of friends I’ve been working with on setting up events for ourselves and other artists. In the next year, we plan to have a few shows lined up, so keep an eye out for our event we call Oakfest. Along with hosting our own shows, I have had the opportunity to perform about 10 times this summer, which has been a complete jump up from the previous year of 3 performances. As a producer and artist, I am working on new music constantly and I am always open to collaborating with new artists. Stay on the lookout for more music and performance to end the year and to start the new year.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m from the southside of Jersey, so I’d mostly like spend some time in Philly, down the Jersey shore, then hit NYC. When we’re out Philly, definitely have to get some cheesesteaks, probably from Jim’s. I don’t eat cheese, but that’s a conversation for another day. Another spot we could hit is the Reading Terminal. Shout out to my dad for showing me that spot. Reading Terminal is a large market full of restaurants from different cultures. Depending on the season, I’d say seeing the Sixers or the Phillies is must. Eagles are cool, but you won’t catch me at one of their regular season games, unless they’re playing the Steelers. I would definitely try to find a concert or open mic around the city as well to get a little inspiration. Philly has some dope low key spots as well, such as Graffiti Pier where it’s a park full of graffiti art. Awesome place to visit if you want pictures or videos.

Now, lets go to Jersey, down to Atlantic City. If I’m in Atlantic City for the weekend, I’ll most likely end up at Harrah’s Casino for the pool and some gambling of course. During the day we can hit the outlet malls then hit the boardwalk. Once the sun goes down, I know you can catch me either at the poker table or on the slots. I don’t gamble often, but if I do, that’s where I’ll be. I would also hit up my boy Nick, who have worked with for a few years now. He’s another producer/engineer, and when we get together we make some classic beats.

Then, of course we have to head to New York to check out the city. If I’m taking the train, I’ll hit Times Square first. I’m definitely looking for a studio to visit while up there, but I’ll visit some shops around the city. Visiting Madison Square Garden while the Knicks are playing is always a memorable experience. I’ve never been to a Yankees game, so I would also make that a goal to achieve if I’m in the Bronx. If I’ve got my car, I’m visiting the Noho/Soho area so see some of the shops in that area. You want to learn how to dress, go take a walk around that area for a day. New York fashion is on another level from the children to the grandparents. But, if I had to show someone around the area, those would be the spots I’d visit.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to thank you to my family for supporting the my journey of pursuing music. I want to go give a shout out to my brothers Rob and Dave for pushing me and providing me with connections from the beginning of me creating music. Recently, a group of my friends and I decided we wanted to start hosting our own shows, so shout out to my homies creating our Oakfest event. We are trying to provide a different experience when it comes to events. Shout out to my homie Limm as well for providing me with guidance and putting me into different rooms to help me grow. All the people I have in my life right now continue to push me to be my best everyday and that’s all I can ask from the people closest to me.

Website: https://linktr.ee/_nezbeatz

Instagram: @_nezbeatz

Twitter: @_nezbeatz

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nezbeatzproduction/featured

Other: https://www.beatstars.com/nezbeatzproduction

Image Credits
Austin Cuttino Michael Berrios Robby Zacharias