First Placement is a Viewfinder series on producers and how they landed their first major placement, told as a first-person narrative, with the producer’s name revealed at the end.

I came up under Jazze Pha, Ensayne Wayne (RIP), Slice Tee, and Carlos Broady, all legendary producers from Memphis, Tennessee. It was a blessing to be around those types of guys. 

My brother, Ensayne Wayne, was working with Memphis rapper Tela while I was in high school. During my senior year, he invited me to play beats at The House of Blues, this infamous studio in downtown Memphis where Tela and Yo Gotti would record. 

Wayne was getting $2500 a beat. I ended up getting the same rate he got just because that was my older brother. Three of my beats were placed on Tela’s fourth and final album, Double Dose―“Striving,” Wangin',” and “Tennessee Titans.” That’s me singing on the hook. Having one of my first placements go to radio put me in a whole different limelight as a producer. 

Young Jeezy’s “Standing Ovation” was my first major placement and first platinum plaque. That placement came about through Boyz In The Hood. I was on their album and I was cool with Jeezy, Block, all them. 

The version of “Standing Ovation” on the album isn’t the original. Jeezy had recorded the song over a different beat, but I had sold it prior. Instead of selling the same production twice, I took his acapellas and came up with another beat. 

The first one he didn’t like. The second one he didn’t like. I came up with another beat that I sent him at 4:30 in the morning. He was like, “Nigga this it.”

Jeezy turned in Thug Motivation 101 the next morning. “Standing Ovation” was the last song mixed. He was the biggest thing coming out of Atlanta. That’s why we worked so hard to get on that project. 

I had $100 in my pocket and lived in Stone Mountain. Jeezy would record at Patchwerk. Gas money to the studio depleted my cash but It was important for me to make that placement. I remember going home with a dub after getting on the album and spending it on a $10 12 pc at Mrs. Winner's or Popeyes. Would live off that for the next 24-48 hours. I still didn’t get paid until two weeks after that. 

I knew that placement was about to change my life. I got my first publishing deal off of that for $150,000. I just had to hold on until then. It was a gruesome two week process, but we made it through.

I AM.