67. Rex Kudo: Losing Everything in the LA Fires to Making Hits for Post Malone, Juice WRLD, Lil Uzi Vert
Episode 67 – Rex Kudo is one of the most influential producers in modern hip-hop. His big break came when he co-wrote/produced Post Malone’s “White Iverson”, and from there, he’s worked with Lil Uzi Vert, A$AP Rocky, Juice WRLD, J. Cole, DJ Khaled, Skrillex, M.I.A., Mac Miller, Roddy Ricch, Future, Young Thug, The Weeknd, Trippie Redd, and has even produced alongside Rick Rubin.
Lately, I’ve been spending more time with Rex, and I get the feeling he’s becoming the next Rick Rubin. He’s got this energy, this perspective on music and life that’s just different. He’s inspiring, community-driven, and one of the most genuinely good people in the game.
But last month, he unfortunately lost his house and studio, burned down in the Pacific Palisades fires. Instead of letting it destroy him, he’s kept moving forward with pure optimism for the future and realizing how lucky he already is. That really hit me.
In this episode, we talk about his journey, his process, the hits, the lessons from working with legends, making new legends, and how he’s pushing through one of the toughest moments of his life. Rex is one of those guys you just root for, and I’m stoked to share his story with you.
Hope you dig this convo with the great Rex Kudo.
‘Go with Elmo Lovano’ is a weekly podcast where Elmo interviews creatives and entrepreneurs in music on HOW they push forward every day, got where they are in their careers, manage their personal lives, and share lessons learned and their most important insights.
(0:00:00) INTRO
(0:03:30) L.A. FIRES
(0:05:11) LOSING STUDIO AND HOUSE TO THE FIRE
(0:22:45) WHY DO YOU CREATE?
(0:25:47) SIGNATURE PRODUCTION SOUNDS
(0:26:47) "WHITE IVERSON", WALE, MAC MILLER
(0:27:49) "WHITE IVERSON" AND POST MALONE
(0:28:46) CHAIRLIE HANDSOME, FKI 1ST
(0:29:33) THE "WHITE IVERSON" SESSION
(0:32:23) EARLY POST MALONE MEMORIES
(0:33:06) HOW "WHITE IVERSON" CHANGED REX KUDO’S LIFE
(0:34:53) YUNG THUG, FUTURE, WEEZY
(0:37:44) EARNING RESPECT, EGO
(0:38:57) BUILDING A TEAM, LYOR COHEN, AUSTIN ROSEN, BILLY WALSH
(0:39:41) SBE PARTIES, JERRY LORENZO
(0:40:29) AUSTIN ROSEN
(0:40:46) LYOR COHEN
(0:41:43) REX’S MUSIC BACKGROUND
(0:42:40) "GO FLEX", GUITAR IN HIP HOP
(0:44:07) "OLD TOWN ROAD", YOUNG THUG
(0:44:39) FOLK EMOTIONAL HIP HOP
(0:45:04) SKILLEX, "WAY BACK", PINKPANTHERESS AND TRIPPIE REDD
(0:46:09) COVID SESSIONS WITH SKRILLEX AT SHANGRI-LA, MIA, RICK RUBIN
(0:54:02) RICK RUBIN
(0:55:35) LESSONS FROM RICK RUBIN
(0:56:55) CO PRODUCING WITH RICK RUBIN, M.I.A.’S ALBUM, “MATA”
(0:59:44) HOW REX CREATES A SONG
(1:03:24) JUICE WRLD
(1:04:54) HOW REX MET JUICE WRLD
(1:07:15) PROCESSING THE LOSS OF JUICE WRLD
(1:10:45) RODDY RICCH
(1:13:23) 2010’S AND 2020’S HIP HOP GENRE
(1:14:27) LIL UZI VERT SESSIONS
(1:17:17) A$AP ROCKY, MANNY MARROQUIN
(1:19:23) TRACKING VOCALS WITH A$AP ROCKY
(1:20:06) MOST PROFICIENT RAPPERS
(1:21:36) CAREER JOURNEY, DISCUSSING THE NEXT 10 YEARS
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