Hip-Hop Wired Presents: Beatmakers – DJ Mustard [PHOTOS]

Name: DJ Mustard
Age: 23
Born: L.A.
Credits: Y.G., 2 Chainz, Tyga, Ty Dolla $ign, Bow Wow, Kid Ink, T-Pain, Ludacris, Young Jeezy

If rap music had a ratchet monarchy, Dejon “DJ Mustard” McFarlane would be its crowed king. The 23-year-old started out as a DJ for Y.G. and picked up a talent for making beats that he fashioned into a full-fledged production career. Constructing the sound for  Tyga’s triple-platinum single, “Rack City,” turned up the buzz on the Los Angeles native whose beat resume now includes “I’m Different” for 2 Chainz and  Jeezy’s club-killer, “R.I.P.,” plus a string of other bangers.

Three years after “Rack City” made the game take notice, Mustard dropped his first mixtape (Ketchup, released in May ), and signed a management deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation.

For the second installment of our brand new “Beatmakers” feature series, Hip-Hop Wired spoke with Mustard about expansion, how Roc Nation has made him better, and of course, making beats.

Peep the interview below.

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Photos: Facebook/Instagram

Hip-Hop Wired: Ty-Dolla $ign jokingly said he taught you how to make beats, is that true?

DJ Mustard: [Laughs] He didn’t teach me how to make beats, I watched him make beats, but he kinda guided me. I don’t make beats on the same things that Ty makes beats on. I make beats under several different programs, but I was influenced by Ty. We don’t make the same type of music, I make ratchet club anthems, he makes real music. Not to say my music ain’t real music …but he makes [music with] all the instruments and stuff, I don’t do all that.

Hip-Hop Wired: When did you know you wanted to be a producer?

DJ Mustard: I never was like ‘Ima be a producer.’ I was deejaying since I was 11. I just started producing because of my homeboy Y.G., he didin’t have nobody to make beats. Everybody was doing their own thing so I just started making beats and trying to figure it out. Once I got it, I just stuck with it and it turned out good.

Hip-Hop Wired: Did making beats come natural, or was it something you had to work on?

DJ Mustard: I really worked hard. I made a lot of beats that were wack before I ever got good. It wasn’t easy but it’s like anything you do. If you start running everyday, you’re gonna get better. Anything you [practice] you get better at.

Hip-Hop Wired: You signed with Roc Nation earlier in the year, what’s next?

DJ Mustard:  Basically what I was doing with the [Ketchup] mixtape was [showing] the people that I can do my own body of work, and not just give away hits. But at the same time make my own hits and go DJ at a club and play two hours of my own music. Now, I’m looking to do like a Lil Jon album, [or] Khaled album. The West Coast doesn’t have anybody like that.”

Hip-Hop Wired: Why did you chose Roc Nation?

DJ Mustard: Roc Nation is just Roc Nation, it almost doesn’t get bigger than that when it comes to management. It’s not too many managers that you can take sh-t from. It’s a lot of managers in the music industry, but you know not to play with Roc Nation! You just want to align yourself with people that’s better, and people that’s gonna make you better.

Hip-Hop Wired: How has it made you better thus far?

DJ Mustard: It’s perfect, I just work with bigger people now. They put you with people you’re supposed to be with. They run a good business, just like being on a basketball team. It’s [about] who you trust and think they’re gonna believe in you. That’s really what I was going for, somebody who was gonna believe in me and understood my music.

Hip-Hop Wired: What else are you working on?

DJ Mustard: I like to give surprises, I don’t like to just give it away. I just finished Y.G.’s album, and I’m just trying to work with everybody that I can possibly work with, I just did some stuff with Wiz [Khalifa] the other day too, so now it’s just album time.

Hip-Hop Wired: Do you have a release date for the album?

DJ Mustard: I’m not sure yet, I think I’ma drop a single at the top of they year. I got a single already so….

Hip-Hop Wired:  What’s title, and who’s on the single?

DJ Mustard: It’s clearances issues, so I don’t wanna tell you. People are on the record already but it’s just…I got something with Chris Brown, I got some sh-t with Kid Ink…it just depends on which one I’m gonna go with.