by Jake Espinoza
“Kids better buy my rookie card now, cuz after this year the price ain’t coming down.” – Mos Def
I’m looking forward to looking back to this day and seeing how it changed the career for Portland’s Samuel L Trox. Best known as Trox, his production is featured on 50 Cent’s new mixtape “The Big 10”.
This appearance puts Trox in an elite class of Northwest Hip Hop artists with national exposure. The mixtape also features production of Jake One out of Seattle. Jake One has worked with members of G Unit in the past, Trox has worked with other national acts such as Fashawn, Krizz Kaliko, and Abstract Rude in the past, but this is the first project of this caliber Trox has been involved with.
So many people downloaded “The Big 10” that the original download link crashed within the first 10 minutes of being posted.
Trox was one of the cities better kept secrets. I do have an acquired taste for that NW production, but the track may be one of 50’s best in recent memory.
Bright things Trox’s future holds.
#OutHerePDX
/Produced by Trox/
How’s life?
Trox: It’s going good man. They just put out the mixtape, just now. It’s on pretty much every major blog, not surprisingly. I just heard my track too, and I’m not disappointed.
So you hadn’t heard it yet?
Yeah, I JUST heard it, right before you called me.
What was it like hearing 50 on your track?
It feels great hearing someone you grew up listening to over your track. I feel blessed right now man. I feel like something is going on that tells me ‘(Producing) is what I need to do, this is what God put me on this earth to do.’
How did all of this come about?
About a year and a half ago I sent Tony G, an A&R for G Unit, a folder of beats. He said he liked what he heard from me and wanted me to send more. I didn’t hear back from him again until like a year later, and he was like, ‘You got any more heat?’ So I just kept sending him more, and then Dre McKenzie, who is the head A&R at G Unit, hit me yesterday and said, ‘I want to congratulate you on your placement on the 50 mixtape.’
I was having a really hectic day too, but just getting that call was a beautiful thing. It just made my night that much better.
Did you get paid for it?
It’s a free mixtape so I don’t really expect to get paid for it. It’s one of my first major placements. I mean this guy (50 Cent) sold diamond. Why would I be mad about that? Having someone that sold diamond on my credits, I mean I can benefit off that right there.
Definitely. You’re already raising your prices huh?
Yeah. (laughs)
Congratulations though man.
Thank You.
I know it just released, but have people already been hitting you up?
Yeah. I can’t stop the texts, and DMs, and Facebook notifications. I can’t escape it today.
Have you talked to the people at G Unit about working with them on future projects?
Definitely. I already sent them more joints. If you want longevity in this game you have to consistently do work. That means I have to have a consistent work ethic. Just moving onward from here.
This beat was actually suppose to be on a project that I was producing. Luckily I’m really cool with the dude who was going to use it, so I’m just kind of like, ‘I’ll take care of you.’
I shop a lot of beats out man. They want a lot of quantity of quality. (laughs) But this 50 placement is just telling everyone I’m here and ready to go.
Make sure you check out a few other tracks produced by Trox below.
#OutHerePDX