Posted by Kendrick Lamar, Roddy Ricch and YG are among a number of artists, producers and label figures investing in TDE in-house engineer MixedByAli‘s EngineEars platform.
The music-making platform is designed to transform the way engineers, songwriters and producers run their businesses, with the company reaching a pre-seed goal of $1 million. Other investors include DJ Khaled, Russ, Mustard, Ella Mai, Bas, Kenny Beats, Smino, Masego, Cardo, Young Guru, Dreamville’s Ibrahim Hamad, XO’s La Mar Taylor, 10 Summers’ Meko Yohannes and indie label EQT.
MixedByAli wrote on Instagram, “For over two years I’ve been taking my time really understanding the real problems in my industry. From all of this research, what Ive realized is that the problem is there are minimal tools provided to audio engineers to set us up for success, and very little access for artists and labels to search and instantly book talented engineers for their projects. This is why we created the solution; @engineears.”
He continued, “From acquiring clients and scheduling new projects, managing file storage and project archiving, to tracking payments, EngineEars provides audio engineers with the tools to operate their business whilst democratizing access to high quality engineering for artists globally.”
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MixedByAli also spoke to Billboard about the inspiration behind EngineEars and wanting to be the person he needed when he was coming up.
“It all comes from the struggle that I had coming into the industry,” he said. “The pressure, the being shitted on. I’m 6’5”, 250 pounds, tatted up neck to toe, so people look at me a certain way. When I really want to learn and they see that hunger and passion, that turns into, ‘Oh, this kid might be coming from my spot, let me push him away.’ I always told myself that once I get to a [certain] point, I can be the person that I wish I had for myself. That’s what we’re doing through EngineEars. If I train 1,000 kids and not be stingy with information, my legacy will live through millions of people who will follow what I’ve done.”
Death Row Records Studio Where 2Pac, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg Classics Were Recorded Bought By TDE’s MixedByAli
Ali recently bought and renovated an old Death Row Records studio where 2Pac’s All Eyez on Me, Dr. Dre’s 2001 and Snoop Dogg’s Tha Doggfather were recorded. During a tour of the building, he said to expect Kendrick Lamar to expresss himself in “the most highest of the creative way” on his new album, which could possibly arrive in 2021.