Today we’d like to introduce you to Jakob Sweet.
Hi Jakob, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I moved from Brooklyn, New York to LA with the rap group Delivery Boys a few years ago. Since I’ve been in LA, I’ve been working as a producer, mix engineer, and recording engineer, mainly focused on hip hop.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The most difficult thing is there not being a set path you can follow to ensure your success. So, it’s a lot of pivoting and adjusting and taking chances on jobs where you don’t know how they’ll turn out. But over the years, it’s gotten to be pretty great. I’m working with my friends and artists I admire, making some of the best music I’ve ever made.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Over my career, I think I’ve been known as a pretty versatile producer and mixer that can work in any genre, but recently, I’ve been intentionally returning to my first and favorite style of music, which is sample-based hip hop. I’ve been super focused on simplifying my process down to the purity of great sample selection and a hands-on, no-frills approach to beat-making. It’s crazy because last year, I put out a song that was something like 250 tracks. Nowadays, the average beat I make is something like 5-6 tracks and sometimes as little as 2-3. It’s a whole different mindset but I think it actually serves the music way more.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I’d like to think I take pretty measured risks. I typically don’t put myself in a position where there’s a possibility something horrible is going to happen if it doesn’t turn out great. But I also embrace that trying “risky” things can sometimes lead to outcomes you couldn’t come by otherwise. I’m about to do a tour with Aaron Veal, Ben Beal, and Delivery Boys, which I’m looking at as one of those “measured risks.” Part of me is nervous about being out of my comfort zone for so long. Part of me is nervous about being out of my comfort zone for so long. But the other part of me knows it’s a unique opportunity that could lead to things I wouldn’t have any way of knowing. Plus, it’ll be a fun time with my friends, so in that sense, it’s “worth the risk.”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/notrustnyc
Image Credits
Heidi Kim
