In episode 36 I talk to DiViNCi (Solillaquists of Sound) about IMAKEMADBEATS, a Memphis native, having grown up immersed in the city’s unmistakable sonic identity. But despite the definitive identity of the region, he often felt disconnected from what creative paths were supported there. After leaving his home to find infrastructure and creative synergy, he would eventually end up in Manhattan’s legendary Quad Studios, where he became a go-to ghost producer and found a new niche in scoring for film and television. He went on to provide music many companies, including NBC, ABC, HBO, DC Shoes, Oxygen, and more. Inspired by the idea that music could speak without words – a theme that he would uphold years later with debut instrumental EP Better Left Unsaid – he further developed the IMAKEMADBEATS persona and mask, and worked with a who’s-who of the indie underground scene in the ‘00s on wax, in the studio, and on stage, including Black Milk, Oh No, Talib Kweli, Solange Knowles, Ludacris, and more.