Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), known professionally as Hit-Boy, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He first signed with fellow producer

Polow da Don Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977 or 1978), known professionally as Polow da Don, is an American record producer from Atlanta, Georgia. He began his career as a recording artist in the late 1990s, leaving college to pursue a career with ...

in 2007 as in-house production staff for his label Zone 4, and later signed with

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...

GOOD Music GOOD Music (often stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American independent record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label entered an exclusive long-term worldwide music distribution, distributi ...

in 2011 to serve a similar role. He first gained major recognition for his work on

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...

's 2009 single "

Drop the World "Drop the World" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne featuring Eminem. It was released the third single released from Lil Wayne's seventh studio album, ''Rebirth'' (2010). The song was released on iTunes on December 28, 2009. Lil Wayne, Eminem ...

", which entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 18. The following year, he produced West and

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...

's 2011 single " Niggas in Paris", which peaked at number five on the chart and received

diamond Diamond is a Allotropes of carbon, solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Diamond is tasteless, odourless, strong, brittle solid, colourless in pure form, a poor conductor of e ...

certification by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA). Throughout the remaining decade, he received credits on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100-top 50 singles "

Trophies A trophy is a tangible, decorative item used to remind of a specific achievement, serving as recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are most commonly awarded for sporting events, ranging from youth sports to professional level athletics. Add ...

" by

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...

, "

Clique A clique (AusE, CanE, or ; ), in the social sciences, is a small group of individuals who interact with one another and share similar interests rather than include others. Interacting with cliques is part of normative social development regardles ...

" by

, " Sorry" by

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...

, and his first to peak the chart: "

Sicko Mode "Sicko Mode" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American rapper Travis Scott featuring Canadian rapper Drake, with additional vocals from fellow American rappers Swae Lee and the late Big Hawk. It was originally released by Epic Records on Aug ...

" by

Travis Scott Jacques Bermon Webster III (born April 30, 1991), known professionally as Travis Scott (formerly stylized as Travi$ Scott), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Scott has had five number-one hits on the U.S. ''Bil ...

, among other commercially successful productions. He pursued a career as a recording artist while doing so, and signed with

Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...

to release his debut studio album, ''We the Plug'' (2013) in collaboration with his HS87 collective. He guest appeared alongside

Roddy Ricch Rodrick Wayne Moore Jr. (born October 22, 1998), known professionally as Roddy Ricch, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in Compton, California, Moore rose to fame in 2018 following the release of his song "Die Young ...

Nipsey Hussle Ermias Joseph Asghedom (born Airmiess Joseph Asghedom; August 15, 1985 – March 31, 2019), known professionally as Nipsey Hussle, was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and activist. Emerging from the West Coast hip-hop scene in the mid-20 ...

's 2019 single "

Racks in the Middle "Racks in the Middle" is a song by American rapper Nipsey Hussle featuring fellow American rapper Roddy Ricch and American record producer Hit-Boy, released on February 15, 2019, through All Money In and Atlantic Records. It is the last single Huss ...

", which won

Best Rap Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance is an honor presented to recording artists for quality rap performances. It was first presented at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989 and again at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1990, after which p ...

at the

62nd Annual Grammy Awards The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 26, 2020, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from October 1, 2018, to August 31, 2019. Ali ...

. He has also released the collaborative extended play ''

What You Expect ''What You Expect'' is a collaborative extended play by American rapper Big Sean and American record producer Hit-Boy. It was released through Big Sean's own label, FF to Def, and Def Jam Recordings on October 29, 2021. The EP features guest appe ...

'' (2021) with Michigan rapper

Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. He met Kanye West as a teenager, and signed with his record label GOOD Music, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in 2007. He gained popul ...

, helmed the entirety of the production on six albums by

Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air (S ...

—''

King's Disease ''King's Disease'' is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Nas. It was released on August 21, 2020, through Mass Appeal Records and marketed by Universal Music Group. It succeeds his eleventh album, '' Nasir'', released two years prior. T ...

'' (2020), ''

King's Disease II ''King's Disease II'' is the thirteenth studio album by American rapper Nas. It was released on August 6, 2021, through Mass Appeal Records and marketed by The Orchard. Serving as a sequel to his 2020 album ''King's Disease'', it features guest a ...

'' (2021), ''

Magic Magic or magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces ** ''Magick'' (with ''-ck'') can specifically refer to ceremonial magic * Magic (illusion), also known as sta ...

'', '' King's Disease III'' (2022), '' Magic 2'' and '' Magic 3'' (2023)—as well as the album '' Burden of Proof'' (2020) by

Benny the Butcher Jeremie Damon Pennick (born November 27, 1984), known professionally as Benny the Butcher, or simply Benny, is an American rapper and songwriter. He came to prominence in 2018 following the release of his debut album, '' Tana Talk 3''. Along w ...

, each of which entered the ''Billboard'' 200. His record label, Hits Since '87 was founded in 2011 also as an imprint of Interscope.

Career

Hollis got his start in professional music production upon receiving a message from high-profile record producer

Myspace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...

which read: "Let's get this paper, pimp". He received his first major production credit in tandem with the producer for the 2009 '' More than a Game'' documentary soundtrack, which was released by Polow's label Zone 4, to which he signed as an in-house producer. He co-produced the song " Stronger" by

Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...

, which entered the

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...

chart. Hollins is also a founding member of the collective Surf Club, which he formed with fellow producers Chase N. Cashe, BCarr, and Chili Chill. While continuing to receive production credits with Zone 4, he became acquainted with rapper

and produced his 2010

GOOD Friday Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during ...

song, " Christmas in Harlem". On May 2, 2011, he signed to

label as an in-house producer, allowing him to work directly with West and the label's further releases. West and

's 2011 single, " Niggas in Paris" peaked at number 13 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, won two

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

s, and received

certification by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

. On June 7, 2012, Hollis released his first single as a recording artist, "Jay-Z Interview", which was produced by

Bink! Roosevelt Harrell III (born February 20, 1972), known professionally as Bink, is an American hip hop producer from Norfolk, Virginia, who is noted for his work with Roc-A-Fella Records artists. His most high-profile work has been Jay-Z's critic ...

. Later in July 2012, Hollis was featured rapping on

CyHi the Prynce Cydel Charles Young (born September 15, 1984), known professionally as CyHi the Prynce (also referred to as CyHi Da Prynce or simply CyHi), is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter from Stone Mountain, Georgia. He signed a major label recor ...

's mixtape ''Ivy League Club'', on the song "Entourage". Hollis then released the self-produced track "Old School Caddy", which features then-GOOD Music cohort

Kid Cudi Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ; formerly stylized as KiD CuDi), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and fashion designer. Born and raised in Clevelan ...

. These two tracks appeared on his first full-length project, a mixtape titled ''HITstory'', which was released for free download on his website. Also in 2012, he produced three songs from his label GOOD Music's compilation album '' Cruel Summer'', and produced

ASAP Rocky Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a member of the hip hop music, hip hop coll ...

's single "

Goldie Clifford Joseph Price MBE (born 19 September 1965), better known as Goldie, is an English music producer, DJ, and actor. Initially gaining exposure for his work as a graffiti artist, Goldie became well known for his pioneering role as a musi ...

". On December 23, 2012, Hollis secured a solo recording contract with

(the former parent label of Zone 4), under the record label Blueprint Group, along with the L.E.P. Bogus Boys. Soon after, he tweeted: "2012 has been great to me and my fam. Feeling more blessed than ever. Excited to see what God has planned for 2013. TU." On January 23, 2013, his record label, Hits Since '87, became an imprint of Interscope. On June 29, 2013, parted ways with GOOD Music, but instated that he was still on good terms with West and his labelmates. Hollins and Los Angeles rapper

Dom Kennedy Dominic Ross Hunn (born August 22, 1984), better known by his stage name Dom Kennedy, is an American rapper. His fourth mixtape, ''From the Westside with Love'' (2010), was met with critical acclaim; its sequel, '' From the Westside with Love II' ...

released the joint mixtape ''Half-A-Mil'' EP in December 2017, subsequently adopting the name as an alias for the duo. The mixtape consisted of five songs, and was led by the single "100 Rounds". It was followed by the sequel, ''Half-A-Mil 2'' on February 24, 2017, and ''Half-A-Mil 3'' followed thereafter in August 2017. The mixtape only had two features; from 24hrs on "Don't Run" and

Quentin Miller WDNG Crshrs (a disemvoweling of "wedding crashers") are an American hip hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia consisting of Quentin Miller, and Thaddeus "TheCoolisMac" Callaway. In 2015, they released the mixtapes, ''UTDinfinity'' and ''CrshrsGotWings' ...

on the tracks "Might as Well" and "In The Hills". Their debut collaborative album, '' Courtesy of Half-a-Mil'' was released in November of that year. From 2020 to 2022, Hollins teamed up with

to serve as executive producer on the ''King's Disease'' series—''

'', ''

'', and most recently '' King's Disease III''—to close out 2022. ''King's Disease I'' and ''II'' were consecutively nominated for Grammy Award for Best Rap Album of the Year, with the former winning and awarding Nas with the artist’s first Grammy award throughout his storied career. They also collaborated on Nas's fifteenth studio album, ''

'', in late 2022. In 2023, Hollins worked on and released a multitude of projects, including beginning with his albums ''SURF OR DROWN'' in March, which featured guest appearances from

The Alchemist An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist or Alchemyst may also refer to: Books and stories * ''The Alchemist'' (novel), the translated title of a 1988 allegorical novel by Paulo Coelho * ''The Alchemist'' (play), a play by Ben ...

, and

Curren$y Shante Scott Franklin (born April 4, 1981), better known by his stage name Currensy (stylized as Curren$y), is an American rapper. Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, he signed with the local record labels Cash Money Records and Young Mo ...

. Two months later, he followed up the album with its sequel, ''SURF OR DROWN Vol. 2'', on Father's Day in June alongside his father, Big Hit, who appears on nine of the ten songs. In May 2023, Big Hit was released from prison after serving nine years and got right back to the studio to pick up where he left off. Before his incarceration in 2014, Big Hit had grown a fanbase following the release of the 2013 singles, "Grindin' My Whole Life" and "G'z Don't Cry", both produced by Hit-Boy. ''SURF OR DROWN Vol. 2'' is a celebration of the reunification of the father son rap duo, and the continuation of Big Hit's career. Hollins executive produced Big Hit's debut solo album, ''The Truth Is In My Eyes'' (2023). Hollins executive produced a number albums in 2023, including three Nas albums ( King's Disease III, Magic 2, and Magic 3),

Musiq Soulchild Taalib Hassan Johnson (born September 16, 1977), better known by his stage name Musiq Soulchild (or simply Musiq; pronounced "music") is an American singer-songwriter. His music blends Rhythm and blues, R&B, funk, blues, jazz, and Gospel music, ...

's ''Victims & Villains'', and

's album ''Everybody Can't Go'' (alongside

the Alchemist An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist or Alchemyst may also refer to: Books and stories * ''The Alchemist'' (novel), the translated title of a 1988 allegorical novel by Paulo Coelho * ''The Alchemist'' (play), a play by Ben ...

), and Madden 2024 video game soundtrack. He worked on two songs from Don Toliver's third album '' Love Sick'', as well as the song "

Delresto (Echoes) "Delresto (Echoes)" is a song by American rapper and singer Travis Scott with fellow singer Beyoncé. It was released through Beyoncé's Parkwood Entertainment, Scott's Cactus Jack, Columbia, and Epic Records as the second single from his fou ...

" by

and

from Scott's ''

Utopia A utopia ( ) typically describes an imagined community or society that possesses highly desirable or near-perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia (book), Utopia'', which describes a fictiona ...

''. In January 2024, Hollins produced and executive produced the project ''Paisley Dreams'' by the Game and Big Hit. The nine song album was made in one session, the first time the Game and Big Hit had met. Hollins also produced

Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...

's single "Can't Get Enough" alongside

Rogét Chahayed Rogét Lutfi Chahayed (born May 31, 1988) is an American record producer and songwriter. Referred to as "one of hip-hop and pop's most dependable hit machines" by ''Billboard'', Chahayed has received nine Grammy Award nominations; in 2022, he w ...

for her eighth album, ''This Is Me...Now''.

Musical style

Production

Hit-Boy uses

FL Studio FL Studio (known as FruityLoops before 2003) is a digital audio workstation (DAW) developed by the Belgian company Image-Line. It features a graphical user interface with a pattern-based music sequencer. It is available in four different ...

and custom music plug-ins to make his beats.

Personal life

Hollins is the nephew of Rodney Benford, from the R&B group

Troop A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troo ...

and son of rapper Big Hit. He grew up in

Fontana, California Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. Founded by Azariel Blanchard Miller in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser built a large steel mill in the area. It ...

. His first child, a son, was born in 2020.

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Mixtapes

Guest appearances and production credit

Awards and nominations

Publication awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

The

s is an award presented by

The Recording Academy National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. (NARAS), doing business as The Recording Academy, is an American Learned society, learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is widely kno ...

to recognize achievement in the mainly English-language

music industry The music industry are individuals and organizations that earn money by Songwriter, writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music and sheet music, presenting live music, concerts, ...

. Hit-Boy has received three Grammy awards from 15 nominations.

References

External links

Official website

Hit-Boy discography

Complete Surf Club discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hit-Boy 1987 births Living people African-American male rappers 21st-century American male rappers African-American record producers American hip-hop record producers American rhythm and blues keyboardists Grammy Award winners for rap music People from Fontana, California Rappers from California Songwriters from California West Coast hip-hop musicians 21st-century American rappers Record producers from California 21st-century American male musicians African-American songwriters 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American musicians American male songwriters