This week I caught up with UK-based Hot Money Studios founder Patrick Osei. An accomplished producer and sound engineer, Osei was one of the primary trailblazers responsible for cultivating what some may know as the garage & grime sound of the early 2000s. Known for his unconventional approach to music production, Patrick’s earlier works (club hits “Stomp,” “Glitch” and “Deep Down” under the moniker Big$hot) received praise from DJs and journalist alike with favorable reviews in DJ Mag and Deuce Magazine. Now, he’s contributing to the success of others through his recording studio and artist development services.
Hey Patrick! Welcome to our interview series – We’re happy to have you!
Q: You started your music career in the early 2000s and achieved success with your UK Garage club hits Stomp, Glitch and Deep Down under the moniker Big$hot — Did you ever think you’d transition from garage/grime music to underground, bass-driven hip hop?
Achieving success in the UK Garage and Grime scene was my first taste of success in the Music Business. I was in my early twenties making a full time income from music for a few years and assumed it would last forever like many creatives do. In the end, the music trends changed and many of us in the scene had to face the reality that the bubble had burst. Starting a recording studio came after spending 3 years at a regular job and realising that my potential could’ve been more maximised with my music skillsets. This led to me starting the recording studio business.
Q: When did you first develop an interest in music production? Who was your biggest influence?
I started playing the piano at the age of 7, I then transitioned into music production in my early teens when I discovered computers and music technology. I wanted to combine my love of playing piano and my interested in technology. Music production was the perfect outlet for me and led me to study music production legends like Quincy Jones, Rodney Jerkins
Q: Let’s talk about the work you do at Hot Money Studios! What types of projects do you typically work on and what services are available for artists?
Hot Money Studios was my way of giving back to the new generation of talent. I had acquired a decent level of skill within the audio engineering area and wanted to help increase the quality output of the growing London Urban music scene.
Typically, the projects I work on tend to be music singles where the artist is focused on creating one song to a high standard. With the advent of affordable studio equipment, many up and coming artists create their demos at home to archive their ideas and later on
Q: You’ve worked with many talented and
It has been a pleasure to be apart of those talented artists’ journeys. The music industry moves at a very fast pace so I’m always in search of the next big star. Currently, I am working with some amazing new acts like K’One, Keido Bond, Tevan, Yxng Prodigy, G3orge-E, UL8 and more.
Q: You’re pretty much involved in all aspects of making sure the final
My favourite part of the process is the mixing stage. This is when we gather all of the individual sounds from the kick drum, to the background vocal chant and blend them all together to form a cohesive piece of music. Seeing client reactions in the studio when you turn up the speakers to their music is the best moment.
Q: What do you enjoy most about making music and collaborating with the different types of talent?
What I most enjoy about making music and collaborating is the coming together of minds to realize a vision. The back and forth debate, experimentation, trial and error. Working with over 1000 recording artists over 10 years gives you a very deep insight into the creative mind and helps keep your own ideas fresh.
Q: Which artists are you listening to these days? What do you like most about their music?
I listen to a lot of my own client’s music during my downtime. I tend to attract a very high calibre of talent at my studio facility so in a sense, I get to enjoy their music long before the world hears about them. I always remind my clients that every superstar had a ‘first’ recording session and that working on music is a journey.
Q: What advice would you offer any independent artists looking for a great quality studio to record their project?
My advice for independent artists is to do more research into what makes their favourite artists sound the way they do. The vocal chain is the vocal recording equipment we use to capture the vocal and is undoubtedly the most expensive section of a recording studio’s arsenal. Knowing between the cheap and the expensive would give them a better understanding as to how that affects their final product.
Q: Where can artists or labels get in touch with you for information about Hot Money Studios’s production and engineering services?
We are very active on Instagram at the moment so that would be one place to get in touch. You can also contact us through our website www.hotmoneystudios.com
