New World
Hit-Boy has a brand new outlook on life and a contemporary album to showcase after navigating some difficult features of the music trade. With independence on his facet, he’s centered on letting his lyrics converse for themselves.
Interview: Kyle Eustice
Editor’s Observe: This story seems within the Fall 2025 situation of XXL Journal, on newsstands now and out there on the market on the XXL web site.
Hit-Boy admits he’s been depressed for many of his profession. It’s a stunning revelation when contemplating his résumé. Because the sonic architect behind Jay-Z and Kanye West’s diamond-certified hit, “Ni**as in Paris,” Lil Wayne’s “Drop the World” that includes Eminem, Travis Scott’s 15-times platinum “Sicko Mode” and Nas’ Grammy award-winning album, King’s Illness, 38 year-old Hit-Boy has established himself among the many pantheon of embellished producers.
Then again, his work as a rapper showcases his huge vary and prodigious expertise on the mic. Hit-Boy’s time within the sport dates again virtually 20 years, with solo mixtapes and albums like HITstory in 2012, The Chauncey Hollis Mission in 2019, and Surf or Drown in 2023, plus collab initiatives alongside Dom Kennedy (Courtesy of Half-a-Mil) and the Hits Since 87 crew (We The Plug), to call just a few.
Again in 2007, Hit-Boy was simply a young person, keen to interrupt into the music trade when he signed a publishing take care of Common Music Publishing Group and Polow Da Don. The partnership would go on to final 18 years. On the time, Hit didn’t understand the long-term affect of the contract he was coming into. What appeared like a breakthrough alternative ultimately grew to become, in his phrases, a “darkish cloud” that hung over his profession. Even because the hits piled up, the deal left him with out possession of his publishing and with solely a fraction of the income, whereas a lot of the income flowed again to the corporate.
Regardless of how huge he obtained or what number of Billboard placements he landed, Hit, born Chauncey Hollis Jr., couldn’t absolutely benefit from the fruits of his labor beneath the large weight of the contract. The stress of all of it despatched him to remedy; actually, he nonetheless attends. It wasn’t till this previous July that Hit was lastly liberated from the contract’s shackles and capable of take the wheel as a newly unbiased artist, due to the assistance of Jay-Z. Hit holds how precisely Hov helped near the chest.
Now that ugly cloud has disappeared to make room for Hit-Boy’s new album, Sftwre Updte, releasing within the coming months. The trouble finds the Fontana, Calif. native each rapping and producing with a renewed sense of freedom and objective on songs like “Eat Sofa” and “What’s the Deal?” He dropped the joint venture Goldfish with The Alchemist not too long ago, too.
In August, talking with XXL over Zoom from his residence in Los Angeles, Hit-Boy opened up about life and music with the candor of somebody who’s seen either side of the trade. Now a father to his 5-year-old son, Chauncey Hollis III, often known as C3, he mirrored on his journey again to rapping, why possession issues greater than ever, and the rising pattern of artists leaning on ChatGPT to craft lyrics. He additionally spoke overtly about his father, Chauncey Hollis Sr. a.okay.a. Huge Hit and his return to jail and, in distinction, the sense of freedom he’s lastly discovered for himself.
XXL: Sftwre Updte is your first new solo album in just a few years. How does it really feel to get again on the mic?
Hit-Boy: It’s good to place it on show, however I’m at all times on the mic. I’m at all times serving to folks write and producing for folks, however I’m at all times recording my very own music within the midst of that. It may not be popping out since you obtained to line a lot different stuff up as an artist. Thank God for [my manager] Nima [Nasseri], [my day-to-day manager] Sam [Katz] and the squad simply placing that facet collectively and maintaining monitor of all the pieces we have to be doing outdoors of the music to make the music work.
You’ve been releasing a variety of new music this yr the place your lyricism is on the forefront, from “What’s the Deal?” to “Wheel of Fortune.”
I’ve been releasing each week [for much of July and August], so I really feel good, man. I’m attempting to stick with it. I didn’t drop all yr up till [July], so I’m nearly to place stress on from right here. I’m just about dropping for the remainder of the yr. The music, the standard, the content material, the music, the lyrics, all the pieces is simply elevated. So, I’m excited for folks to essentially, actually begin digging into these things.
Did your new studio provide you with somewhat additional inspiration?
I obtained a brand new studio and made two albums inside two weeks. I used to be so hype on Sftwre Updte after which once I obtained in there, I simply realized how I’ve actually been thugging it out for years. I mashed out and received a number of Grammys out of that room at Chalice [Recording Studio] I used to be in. I obtained platinum plaques and all the pieces however being out of there and being in my very own house now, it’s simply far more spacious. I can breathe. My music is simply flowing like water proper now.
How do you steadiness being a producer and a rapper, and what do you assume you excel in additional?
To be sincere, it’s all one world. I don’t have a look at it no totally different. If I’m writing a verse, if I’m rapping, if I’m making a beat, I’m excited to make a chunk of music. It’s not about, “I take pleasure in this one factor extra.” To me, it’s all artwork. You simply form of put all of them collectively. Even the visible facet, my sh*t is simply elevated.
I at all times needed to be visible artist and didn’t perceive aesthetics and perceive how I wanted to current myself or put myself on show. Now I do. So, it’s that point to essentially dig in and take benefit. I like once I really feel my very own development. That’s once I wanna go more durable. I wanna apply the brand new data. I wanna apply the brand new data that I’ve and simply make higher stuff.
You bought out of an 18-year publishing deal this yr, and Jay-Z helped safe that freedom. Are you able to discuss somewhat bit about that and the way he obtained you out of that scenario?
It was a scenario I had been in since ’07. I signed one yr out of highschool. I used to be 19 and principally didn’t know that the sport was shifting the way in which that it did. Among the language in my contract made it not possible for me to get by means of it. I didn’t even know I used to be in a nasty deal till 2011, as soon as I made my first hit. I used to be going to search for that test, the true cash. And so they had been like, “No, you on this contract. So, you gotta thug it out.”
As time went on, it simply began being like a darkish black cloud over me, form of made me depressed, annoyed and simply form of antsy about attempting to see what it was going to take. Like, Man, did I must make a much bigger hit than “Ni**as in Paris?” However how the f**okay you going to try this? That’s a variety of stress for a [then]-24-year-old to be like, F**okay, now I obtained to outdo this, versus simply letting the music movement.
Now I’m in a spot the place it might probably movement, and I’m not frightened about attempting to make it or regardless of the case is. I do know who I’m and what I’ve contributed. If I did all of this beneath that a lot stress, now that I’m free and clear, what the f**okay I’m about to make now?
You’re in remedy since you realized that you simply had been depressed most of your profession, and a variety of it needed to do with this deal. When did the fog begin to raise?
[This past] July, once I obtained out the deal. My finish date was in 2021, so I needed to wait one other 4 years and simply work my ass off in these 4 years and get to this place. And July 2025, my deal was over, and now I’m free.
How has your strategy to producing advanced with the altering panorama of hip-hop and know-how?
It’s sure stuff that’s out proper now that I’m like, Rattling, if I had this 10 years in the past, I might’ve went loopy. It’s simply a variety of instruments that you need to use to gas your creativity and never ever actually run out of concepts. I’ve been listening to BabyChiefDoit from Chicago, somewhat 17-year-old child. He’s tremendous dope. He simply went on the interview and say he be utilizing ChatGPT to put in writing his lyrics. I might have by no means thought.
What do you consider that?
It’s a brand new day. He’s a child. They doing it, man. So, it’s what it’s.
You’ve obtained to satisfy them in 2025, proper?
It’s 2025. Man, you higher get with it.
With so many hits beneath your belt, how do you keep away from inventive burnout and maintain your sound contemporary?
Research, love music. I pay attention and attempt to watch as many movies as attainable. I’d get up and put YouTube on and watch essentially the most high-quality video to essentially the most low high quality, simply seeing what’s on the market and attempting to get impressed. I really feel like, particularly now with so many instruments, even with the AI stuff, it’s like you’ll be able to by no means actually get inventive block no extra until you simply wish to pigeonhole your self and don’t wish to a minimum of experiment with what’s on the market.
What’s happening along with your report label Surf Membership?
We mashin’, man. I’m investing my time and vitality into simply constructing this factor as much as what it must be.
What artists are presently signed to the label?
No person proper now, simply me. However I’m working with the homie Spank Nitti [James]. He’s from the Inland Empire [in California] and he’s tremendous dope. We simply put out a tune referred to as “Eat Sofa.” It’s a complete totally different film while you see it in motion, although. We obtained an album coming after my album.
What second are you most happy with this yr? It’s obtained to be getting out of your deal.
Undoubtedly.
Was there a serious hip-hop cultural motion that you simply cherished?
The Pop-Out with Kendrick Lamar. My son and my dad was onstage with Kendrick on the finish of the present when he was performing “Not Like Us.” I assumed that was unwell.
The place did you get your ardour for jail reform and supporting the underrepresented communities?
I obtained a ardour for telling my story. I’m not gonna say I’m tremendous heavy into jail reform. I do know the squad is taking courses and we studying about simply having a basis and stuff like that. That is extra so telling my story and simply how I used to be capable of make one thing of myself, even having a pops [Big Hit] who was in jail my entire life. I had flown all the way down to attend my dad’s court docket case. He had a court docket date, and I ended up happening the stand and speaking to the choose. I used to be telling my story.
Wow, that’s quite a bit.
I began crying, bawling f**king tears. I may barely breathe over that muthaf**ka. I used to be actually telling my actual story, and the choose was simply compelled, like, “Rattling, how was you capable of get this a lot carried out with even having a father that’s on such a sh*t?” It made me actually understand, “Rattling, I actually did do one thing particular.”
How outdated had been you when he obtained out?
He obtained locked up once I was 3. Then he didn’t get out for the primary time till I used to be 17. He went again lower than a yr later. Ever since then, he hasn’t been out for even a yr. He’ll make it like 9, 10 months most instances, and he’ll go proper again.
He’s again in now?
Yeah, he’s again in proper now. They simply gave him three extra years. That was a variety of stress. He went again final July, so this entire final yr. I truly simply did a verse, and I discussed it. I talked concerning the final 12 months from July ’24 to July ’25, all of the shit I went by means of. There’s a snippet on my Instagram. It is best to go test it out. You’ll actually form of see.
What recommendation do you must the producers who’re developing?
Reap the benefits of the assets you have got. You possibly can simply begin a ’Gram or a Twitter or one thing and simply add. That’s basically what I did when Myspace first got here out. That’s how I obtained my publishing deal was by means of MySpace.
Hearken to Hit-Boy and The Alchemist’s Goldfish Album
The autumn 2025 situation of XXL journal that includes Hit-Boy‘s interview is on the market to buy right here. The problem additionally contains Joey Bada$$ and J.I.D’s cowl story interviews, conversations with Likelihood The Rapper, Curren$y, Rob49, KenTheMan, Bay Swag, Wallo267, Hurricane Knowledge, Hanumankind, Babyfxce E, Ghostface Killah, Conway The Machine, Pluto, TiaCorine, Isaiah Falls, comic Josh Joshson, Vice President of Music at SiriusXM and Pandora Joshua “J1” Raiford, a have a look at the change in album rollouts over time highlighted by Clipse’s Let God Kind Em Out album and extra.
See Photographs From Joey Bada$$ and J.I.D’s XXL Journal Fall 2025 Cowl Shoot
