Southside (record producer)


Joshua Howard Luellen, professionally known as Southside, or by his stage name Sizzle, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper. Southside gained recognition in the hip hop industry for producing songs for prominent artists across the American hip hop sphere. In 2010, Southside and fellow 1017 label-mate Lex Luger, established their production and songwriting team 808 Mafia, where Southside currently is at the helm of the group. The basis of his stage name is the place where Luellen grew up, Southside, in Atlanta, GA.

Early life

Southside grew up in the Southside region of Atlanta, Georgia. Growing up, he played Little League Baseball but gave up the sport after suffering a concussion when he was hit in the head with a ball. He started making beats when he was 14 years old, when he got his first computer with his uncle.

Career

It was around his mid-teenage years that Southside decided to start take music production as a serious career path. He was later discovered by then unknown rapper Waka Flocka Flame when he was 17 and through Waka's network, Gucci Mane eventually signed him to his label 1017 Brick Squad Records. At Bricksquad Records, Luellen met Lex Luger, who was another producer for Waka Flocka, and the two started working together to lay the production groundwork for Waka Flocka's debut album.
Southside's first major release was the song "Fuck the Club Up," which appeared on Waka Flocka's debut album Flockaveli. In 2011, Southside co-produced the track "Illest Motherfucker Alive", from Kanye West & Jay-Z’s critically acclaimed album Watch the Throne. This helped to boost his career and bring him into the mainstream hip hop scene. He has since worked with artists such as Rick Ross, B.o.B, Wale, Meek Mill, Lil Scrappy, MGK among others.
Southside was the main producer of Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka's collaboration album Ferrari Boyz and on Flocka's sophomore album '.
In January 2013, Southside produced "Millions" - the lead single from Pusha T's mixtape Wrath of Caine. The music video for the song was released on February 10. The song sparked controversy when producer Rico Beats was asked to modify Southside's instrumental for the final version of the song. Southside wasn't notified of the changes, which led to the two producers exchanging threats over Twitter. In Wrath of Caine official track list, Kanye West is credited as co-producer, instead of Rico Beats. Also in 2013, Southside & TM88 produced the song "Tapout" by Birdman for his album '. The song peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Gold By The RIAA.
Throughout the early 2010s, Southside's productions have been featured on numerous mixtapes. Along with 808 Mafia's TM88, the single "Danny Glover" became a breakout in early 2014 for Gucci Mane's protégé Young Thug, produced by Southside. By late 2014, Southside's production continue to catapult into Atlanta's hip hop mainstream when Future's mixtape Monster went on to become one of the most well acclaimed rap releases during that year as Southside handled a quarter of the mixtape's entire production. The well received project has seen more than a million combined streams and downloads via the online mixtape site DatPiff. Monster standout "Commas" was released as an official commercial single in March 2015 and spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 55, simultaneity earning an RIAA gold certification further cementing Southside's career boost.
In 2015, Southside continued to push his trap sound in the hip hop industry ubiquitously, especially on various songs produced by him and his 808 Mafia collective. Luellen was responsible for producing a significant portion of Future's album, DS2, as well as being responsible for producing nine of the ten tracks of Future's mixtape, 56 Nights, in which Southside made the entire project's worth of beats in only one night. In addition, Southside also contributed to the production of three tracks on the collaborative mixtape What a Time to Be Alive by Future and Canadian rapper Drake.

Artistry

Southside uses the digital audio workstation, FL Studio along with custom installed VST plugins to compose his beats. Luellen's distinct signature trap sound is gritty, grimy, and thunderous hip hop street sound which is similar to that of his collaborators, Lex Luger and his group 808 Mafia. Despite such similarities, Luellen's sound is distinctly known to be more gangster, bombastic, gritty, rambunctious, and menacing compared to that of his collaborators. Luellen is known for his dark, belligerent, and menacing hip hop sound coupled with hard hitting 808 kicks, crisp snare drums, fast hi-hats, frantic synthesizers, sinister lead instruments, and colorfully layered ominous orchestration of synthesized brass, hits, stringed, woodwind, and keyboard instruments. Like many other producers Southside uses a musical signature tag on many of the songs he has produced. His main tag is a pitched-up voice saying his name. He also uses his team tag, 808 Mafia and more recently, a sample of the Ironside theme song produced by Quincy Jones. Back in the beginning of his career, Southside claimed to complete a single beat in 15 to 30 minutes, but as of 2015, he claims to be able to make a single beat in less than 6 minutes and with no sound. He cites Lil Jon as his favorite producer and enjoys the production work made by Pharrell, Shawty Redd, and Drumma Boy. He is also influenced by the production works of Kanye West, Dr. Dre, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz.
Southside also credits modern technology and internet, particularly through the monetization of music through streaming sites such as SoundCloud, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music that help him make a living off of his passion for hip hop music and well as making his own production career possible. Inside the studio, Southside is known for his strong work ethic and strategic marketing acumen when producing beats for artists and getting the finalized track towards the mixtape circuit or for radio play. Since 2013, Southside began to focus on his career as a producer from an entrepreneurial perspective, cultivating talent while learning the ins and outs of the legality in the music production business as well as negotiating deals and making the financial decisions on every track he is responsible for producing.

Personal life

Luellen was born when his mother was 18 and still in high school. His father is record producer Masaba Tyson, also known as PHAROAH 808 MAFIA. Southside currently has six children, sons Karmello, Legend, RJ and three daughters named Karlye and Haylee and Summer Miami with rapper Yung Miami.

Discography

Collaborative albums

2010

Waka Flocka Flame – Flockaveli
Wale
Gucci Mane – The Return of Mr. Zone 6
Waka Flocka Flame – Benjamin Flocka
Gucci Mane – Writings on the Wall 2
Jay-Z and Kanye West – Watch the Throne
Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame – Ferrari Boyz
Meek Mill – Dreamchasers
Waka Flocka Flame and Slim Dunkin – Twin Towers 2
2 Chainz – T.R.U. REALigion
OJ da Juiceman – The Lord of the Rings
Gucci Mane – Trap Back
Meek Mill – Dreamchasers 2
Waka Flocka Flame –
2 Chainz – Based on a T.R.U. Story
Big Sean – Detroit
Waka Flocka Flame – Salute Me or Shoot Me 4
Machine Gun Kelly – Lace Up
Machine Gun Kelly
Gucci Mane – Trap God
Doe Boy – Boyz N Da Hood 2
SD – Life of a Savage 2
Maybach Music Group – Self Made Vol. 2
Roscoe Dash – Roscoe 2.0
Pusha T – Wrath of Caine
Wooh Da Kid – Full Metal Jacket
SD – Life of a Savage 3
Waka Flocka Flame – Duflocka Rant 2
Gucci Mane – Trap Back 2
Gucci Mane and Young Dolph – EastAtlantaMemphis
Frenchie – Long Overdue
Birdman – Rich Gang
Gucci Mane – Trap House III
Ace Hood – Trials & Tribulations
DJ Scream – The Ratchet Superior EP
Young Thug and Bloody Jay – Black Portland
Cash Out – Let's Get It
Future – Honest
P. Reign – Dear America - EP
Gucci Mane – ''The Return of Mr. Perfect
Future – Monster
2 Chainz – Freebase
Young Scooter
Zuse – Illegal Immigrant
D Dash – The GREATest
Waka Flocka Flame – I Can't Rap Vol. 1
2 Chainz – T.R.U. Jack City
Jose Guapo – Osama Bin Guapo
Gucci Mane – Dinner
Young Thug
Travis Scott
Future – 56 Nights
French Montana – Casino Life 2
Zona Man – No Advance
Future – DS2
Juicy J – 100% Juice
Young Thug – Slime Season
Young Thug – Slime Season 2
Drake and Future – What a Time to be Alive
  • 01. "Digital Dash"
  • 07. "I'm the Plug"
  • 10. "Jersey"
Lil Bibby - Free Crack 3
  • 02. "Word Around Town"
G-Eazy – When It's Dark Out
  • 07. "Order More" featuring Starrah
  • 10. "You Got Me"
  • 11. "What If"
Jeezy – Church In These Streets
  • 08. "God"
Waka Flocka Flame – Flockaveli 1.5''
Young Sizzle – Free Agent 3
Juicy J – O's To Oscars
Gucci Mane – East Atlanta Santa 2
Rico Richie – Realest Story Ever Told Vol. 2
Kanye West
Landstrip Chip – One of One
Future – Purple Reign
Runway Richy – China Cafeteria
Future – Evol
Kanye West – The Life of Pablo
French Montana – Wave Gods
2 Chainz – ColleGrove
Drake – Views
Fredo Santana – Fredo Mafia
DJ Khaled – Major Key
ScHoolboy Q – Blank Face LP
Gucci Mane – Everybody Looking
Lil Durk – Lil Durk 2X
21 Savage & Metro Boomin – Savage Mode
Dreezy – No Hard Feelings
Dreezy – From Now On
DJ Esco – Project E.T.
DJ Twin – Day 1 EP
Tracy T
Travis Scott
21 Savage
Lil Bibby – Big Buckz
Juicy J – #MUSTBENICE
Gucci Mane – Woptober
Gucci Mane and Future – Free Bricks 2K16
Gucci Mane – The Return of East Atlanta Santa
Yo Gotti – White Friday
Future
Waka Flocka & Southside - Lebron Flocka James 4
Future – Future
Future – Hndrxx
Kodak Black – Painting Pictures
Travis Scott
Playboi Carti – Playboi Carti
Juicy J – Gas Face
Gucci Mane – Droptopwop
DJ Khaled – Grateful
Kodak Black
21 Savage – Issa Album
Nav and Metro Boomin – Perfect Timing
Young Sizzle – 808 Day
ASAP Mob –
G Herbo – Humble Beast
A Boogie wit da Hoodie – The Bigger Artist
Gucci Mane – Mr. Davis
Future and Young Thug – Super Slimey
Ty Dolla Sign – Beach House 3
  • 09. "Don't Sleep On Me"
Yo Gotti – I Still Am
  • 01. "Betrayal"
21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin – Without Warning
  • 08. "Run Up The Racks
Smokepurpp
  • 00. "Nobody"
Big Sean and Metro Boomin – Double or Nothing
  • 04. "Pull Up N Wreck"
Quality Control –
  • 04. "Boat Skirt"
  • 08. "Menace"
  • 26. "Too Hotty"
Gucci Mane -
  • 01. "Rich Ass Junkie"
  • 02. "Peepin Out the Blinds"
  • 03. "Dickriders"
  • 04. "Mall"
  • 05. "Side EFX"
  • 06. "TYT"
  • 07. "Sea Sick"
  • 08. "Smiling in the Drought"
  • 09. "El Gato's Revenge"
  • 10. "Strep Throat"
  • 11. "Southside and Guwop"
Travis Scott & Quavo - Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho'''
Lil Uzi Vert
Young Sizzle -
Young Thug - Hear No Evil
Moneybagg Yo - 2 Heartless
Lil Baby - Harder Than Ever
G Herbo - Swervo
21 Savage - I Am > I Was
Offset - Father of 4
  • 04. Tats on my Face
  • 05. Made Men
  • 10. Underrated
  • 11. Legacy
  • 12. Clout
Future - The Wizrd
Young Thug - So Much Fun
  • 14. Big Tipper
  • 15. Pussy
Gucci Mane - Delusions of Grandeur
Quality Control - Control the Streets, Volume 2
  • 9. Pink Toes
Lil Gotit - The Real Goat
- Dark Lane Demo Tapes
  • 9. D4L
Moneybagg Yo - Time Served