Hip-hop producer makes beats on iPhone, gets Grammy nomination and feature on Kendrick Lamar's new record

It may appear strange, but if you really know what you're doing, you can make money, music, or both at the same time out of literally anything. Some people literally sell air. Others bang out beats on their cracked screen iPhone and do it well enough to get a Grammy nomination, a spot on Kendrick Lamar's new record, 'DAMN.' 

We're talking about hip-hop producer Steve Lacey, who literally uses an iPhone to come up with triple-A material. He made complete songs and beats for Lamar and his own Grammy-nominated R&B band with an iPhone, the Garage Band app, some recording gear and musical instruments. The smartphone lets him record ideas and make music anywhere he likes, using it as a portable recorder and digging for inspiration in GarageBand's library of drums and other musical sounds.

It's absolutely magnificent how technology has evolved to let a musical mind just grab their phone and get to work, immersed in the moment's inspiration. And when the work is finished, use the same device to present it to the artist who will give them their big break. Lacy went to the studio with Kendrick Lamar, played him some beats and ideas on the iPhone, and well, the beat on track number 7 from 'DAMN.' – 'Pride' – is all his!

There was one hurdle Lacey had to deal with, though. And you'll never guess what it was, can you? It's the iPhone 7's absent headphone jack! Because of it, Steve couldn't hear what he was playing into the device until he got a recording interface with a headphone jack.

Check out the rest of the story with all the details on Wired, it's a fascinating read!

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source: Wired