Sonic: Chicago Producer Talks Working With Roddy Ricch & Lil Durk

As a producer, you can only dream of working with the greats such as Roddy Ricch, Lil Durk, and Polo G. Insert Sonic, who produced 5 standout records from Roddy’s most recent debut album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial: “Moonwalkin” featuring Lil Durk, “Perfect Time,” “Gods Eyes,” “Prayers to the Trap God,” and “War Baby.”

As a kid, real name Eric Sandoval was into sports, getting his start playing baseball. With his parents owning a CD store in Chi-Town, he began listening to everything from Hip Hop to R&B to even Spanish music. The eclectic mix of genres inspired him to start making music himself, until 6th grade when he started listening to Waka Flocka Flame. From there, he knew music would be his end-be-all.

Now going on a decade of making beats and grinding, Sonic continues on with his main goal in life: to inspire and motivate the masses. AllHipHop: Being from Chicago what was the house like growing up?

Sonic: For me at least, there were a lot of ups and downs. When it came to family, everyone has their own problems. Where I grew up, it wasn’t too hard but it was always strictly work hard and get what you want. Everything else will come to you in life.

AllHipHop: Biggest influences growing up?

Sonic: Dr. Dre for sure. Drumma Boy, D. Rich, Shawty Redd, and Lil Jon.

AllHipHop: How did you teach yourself how to produce?

Sonic: I watched a lot of Youtube videos. Everything that I know is pretty much self-taught. I stayed up long nights learning different ways to get better and this is what it’s come to in the last 10 years. I figured out how to download everything my 6th grade year. I figured out everything, how to get everything working together.

AllHipHop: What was the inspiration behind your name?

Sonic: I’d play a lot of Sonic as a kid growing up on my Gameboy, that’s what they’d call me. As years went on, I found out that sonic is a soundwave. It goes together so I ran with it and stuck with the name.

AllHipHop: How did you get tapped in with Roddy Ricch?

Sonic: Oh man, this is crazy. I was working at a job at Menards and one of my guys called me, he said “yo I need you to come meet this artist in LA, his name’s Roddy Ricch.” At that point, I had placements with Money Man, I had placements with Durk, but I still wasn’t in position to stop working. I was down to my last couple dollars. I flew out to LA, I met Roddy and we locked in for a week or two. I ended up losing my job because I didn’t go back.

AllHipHop: How does it feel to have Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial go double-Platinum?

Sonic: It feels good, that’s actually my first Platinum plaque. For it to go double means a lot to me. It shows you where hard work can take you, at least for me.

AllHipHop: You say it’s something new with Roddy everyday, in what way have you guys evolved?

Sonic: Just wanting to be different. Wanting to always experiment, take his time with music. The same way I do, I like taking my time. I don’t really like rushing music. We make music for ourselves and everybody else, so we want everybody else to always feel the music.

AllHipHop: You and Lil Durk are both from Chicago, how’d you meet him?

Sonic: Crazy, I was 3 weeks into college and I flew out to meet Durk. Durk let me stay at his house for a week, we cooked up a bunch of records. That’s how I built a relationship with Durk.

AllHipHop: What was it like working with Juice WRLD and Bibby?

Sonic: In the studio, I pulled up. Pulled up beats, Juice was going crazy. That’s the first time I actually met him. He did 10 songs that night. From that first day on, I thought “whoa this kid’s a star.” I showed him in the studio to my manager and he said “whoa, who’s this kid? Sure enough in a matter of a month or two, he took off. I love the experience of creating with new artists.

AllHipHop: What’s your take on the music industry?

Sonic: It’s cool. I don’t really think about that sometimes, I go with the flow. I see it for what it really is. If you go too deep into it, it’s too much thinking. I really do it for the music.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by S O N I C (@prodbysonic)

AllHipHop: What advice do you have for upcoming producers?

Sonic: My main advice would be networking. Whether it’s through social media or music events like A3C, getting your face out there. Going all in, don’t half ass s###. Take your time, trust the process, and never give up on yourself. At the end of the day if you work, everything else will come with whatever you’re chasing in life.