Producer Spotlight: A Sit Down With 808SpinZ

Tell us about yourself?

I am Harris Holland, most people know me as SpinZ or 808SpinZ. I am from Charlottesville, Virginia, but grew up in Arizona. I got into music production in high school when I was 14. I now work between Nashville, Tennessee and Atlanta, producing, engineering, working as a DJ, and developing artists.

What has been the biggest highlight or accomplishment of your career so far?

I've worked with many independent artists and labels, but my favorite release has got to be my album "Love & Transactions." This project was the accumulation of two years worth of songs. I released it in October of 2022 with co-production from DB, Cuzin Mula, Jinx, and RicoSoDope among others. The project is 8 songs and contains records from 24Lefteye, Paris Bryant, Kfamouz, and more. I produced and mastered every record. Taking the album from a concept to final release that has amassed over 150,000 streams has made it one of the most fulfilling projects I have done to date.

Can you tell us about any collaborations or features you've worked on recently?

One of my most recent, favorite records I've worked on is "Crime Pays" by Trapperman Dale. I got to work on this record from start to finish. I take pride in being able to create a beat and work with the artist through recording and into final mastering. Jiinx and I produced the beat and Dale and I recorded the record not too long after. It was rewarding being able to not only work with Dale, but to master the song and see it all the way through to the radio cut.

How do you balance creative control with collaboration when working on music with other artists or producers?

One thing about collaboration is letting others do as they please. I've realized if I try to control the whole process, I eliminate the creative input others add to records. Oftentimes I'll save a duplicate or try to incorporate both ideas and find a middle ground. I've had great success with this strategy, sometimes ending sessions with multiple different versions of a record or beat.

What advice would you give to up-and-coming musicians who are just starting out?

The biggest lesson I've learned is to be genuine. The music industry can be grimy, not always, but oftentimes people will put on a façade. Watch out for yourself, but keep it real with those around you. I've been put in some nasty situations dealing with the wrong people, but I've also met some of my closest friends working in music. If you don't like working with someone and don't need to work with them, don't be rude, but don't waste your energy catering to them