Chopin’ It Up With B4lasers
B4Lasers, Chicago-based producer, audio engineer, and community builder, has made a name for himself as a key figure in the indie and underground beat scene. He’s known for his unique ability to blend genres into soulful textures, infused with the raw energy of old school hip hop. Originally from Kenosha, Wisconsin, B4Lasers has tirelessly worked to develop a sound that draws equally from nostalgic influences and forward-thinking techniques. With his mastery of samplers and drum machines, he skillfully merges the warmth of analog sounds with a contemporary edge, creating beats that feel both timeless and refreshingly innovative.
Beyond his music, B4Lasers is known for being a humble and devoted presence in the beat-making community. He’s always committed to uplifting his collaborators, helping others bring their artistic visions to life with genuine passion and care. His constant support and positive influence have made him a staple in the Chicago beat scene, where many up-and-coming producers owe a part of their success to his encouragement and mentorship. His impact on the beat scene is undeniable, as he continues to inspire and elevate those around him.
We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to B4Lasers for being such an amazing individual and for his generosity in contributing yet another community-driven project from the kindness of his heart. Your time and dedication are truly appreciated!
You’ve been such a vital part of the Chicago beat scene, constantly juggling projects like the Duckworld 808 weekly sample flip challenge, Flip a Beat Club, Beat Makers Tool Box, Open Aux, Living listening party, wax & waves and many more. The amount of unpaid hours you dedicate to these initiatives is incredible and truly for the benefit of the community. First off, thank you for all that you do!
What drives you to put so much energy into these projects, and what keeps you motivated to stay so involved in building up the scene?
Thank you, bro. That means a lot.
The drive behind all these projects has always been about creating a home for beatmakers who might not have a local scene or community to connect with. I wanted to bring together like-minded individuals—record collectors, beatmakers, and music lovers—and give them a space to build, create, and share.
Duck World 808, for example, with the weekly Sample Flip Challenge, became that home. Shoutout to Duck Girl 808 for trusting me and pushing me to make it my own with Duck World Chicago. Back in 2022, she gave me the nudge I needed to take off and create something beautiful, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
Projects like the Living Listening Party and Beatmakers Toolbox, which I run quarterly with my wife, Uniq Moniq aka @mrsb4lasers, are about bringing people together. It’s like a reunion—a chance to reconnect with friends and celebrate the craft. Seeing people come back, even after a long time, is what makes it special.
What keeps me motivated? Seeing others shine. Whether it’s helping someone refine their craft or watching them grow into incredible artists, that’s what drives me. Knowing that challenges like Duck World 808, Flip A Beat Club, and the Beatmakers Toolbox have helped people grow over the years keeps me going.
At the end of the day, it’s about lifting others up and being a part of something bigger than myself. That’s what makes it all worth it.
Loving what you do and finding your purpose is often a journey of aligning your passions with your actions. When you're truly passionate about something, it doesn't feel like work.
Can you share your thoughts on loving what you do and how you've found your purpose in music? What drives your passion, and how has it shaped your journey as an artist?
I didn’t expect this to become my purpose in music, honestly. Around 2017 or 2018, I actually stopped making beats. I wasn’t creating anything for a while. Then in 2020, post-COVID, I picked up Koala Sampler, and it sparked something in me again. I started making beats and realized I didn’t just want to sit on them—I wanted to share my music. That push led to Duck World 808, Open Beats, Live Beats Chicago, and more.
It became clear to me that my role wasn’t just about making my own music. It was about creating spaces where others could connect, share, and grow. Whether it’s helping someone craft their live set, exploring new techniques, or just encouraging them to create freely, that’s become my driving purpose.
It’s shifted my perspective as an artist. Instead of focusing solely on me—my next beat tape, my next show—it’s about us. How can I help someone feel seen and supported? How can I give back to this community?
I’ve been lucky to learn from so many inspiring people, from mentors to peers who gave me opportunities when I needed them. Now, I want to be that for others—a force that fosters growth, love, and selflessness in the scene. That’s what keeps me going.
“If you’re not listening to your own beats, if they’re not for you first, what’s the point? You gotta make them for yourself before anyone else. That’s the real joy in it”
You’ve been making beats for a long time. What continues to inspire you and keeps you motivated to create? And would you continue to make beats if no one was to ever hear them?
Man, I’m surrounded by music all the time. I’m always digging for records, scrolling through Bandcamp and YouTube, using apps like Sampllette—just finding inspiration everywhere. And then the homies come through with these crazy drum packs, like SP CHOPS dropping fire breaks, and I’m like, “Yo, I gotta chop this up!” It’s that constant loop of hearing something dope and wanting to flip it into my own thing. Lately, I’ve been locked into this jazzy vibe, inspired by cats like Marlow Diggs and the homie EZweb from St. Louis. That energy keeps me creating, man.
Would I still make beats if no one else heard them? Hell yeah, because I’m gonna hear them. Real talk, when I was younger, my homie—might as well call him family—used to roll around Kenosha in his van, slapping grimy beats off cassette. MPC-2000, SP-303, SP-202 kinda shit—it was just us vibing to these dusty, chopped-up instrumentals. It wasn’t about anyone else; it was about making something we loved.
That’s what it’s all about, man. If you’re not listening to your own beats, if they’re not for you first, what’s the point? You gotta make them for yourself before anyone else. That’s the real joy in it. I love bumping my own tracks, man. Some folks don’t play their own stuff after making it, but me? My beats are on repeat constantly. Gotta enjoy what you create—it’s part of the process.
You’re known for mastering a range of samplers, and recently we’ve seen you cook up beats using everything from Koala to the SP404, Lofi12, MPC5000, and MPCX. What draws you to creating beats in samplers versus using a DAW, and how do these tools influence your sound and workflow?
“At the end of the day, samplers help me stay creative and avoid the trap of overthinking. I’d rather spend an hour banging out four beats on the MPC than get stuck tweaking one in a DAW for nine hours.”
Man, as someone who mixes and masters professionally for clients worldwide. It’s hard to see a DAW as anything but work. The second I open it, my brain flips to clean this, compress that, and I start overthinking everything. That’s why I’m drawn to samplers. With simpler samplers, like the SP-404, Lo-Fi 12 XT, or even Koala, it’s all about a less-is-more approach.
When I’m on the MPC X, it feels like a proper tool, but still like a sampler. It doesn’t feel like a DAW, especially when I’m in standalone mode. Sure, it has that “DAW in a box” functionality, but the tactile workflow keeps it creative—you’re pressing buttons, flipping pages, and tweaking parameters, not clicking and dragging with a mouse.
What I love about samplers is they influence both my sound and my workflow. Each one has strengths and limitations that force me to approach beats differently. On the Lo-Fi 12 XT, I know its quirks, so I work with them. On the SP-404, it’s a chaotic mess sometimes, but that’s part of its charm. The MPC X? That’s my “business suit,” where I can fine-tune and get intricate while staying hands-on.
At the end of the day, samplers help me stay creative and avoid the trap of overthinking. I’d rather spend an hour banging out four beats on the MPC than get stuck tweaking one in a DAW for nine hours. It’s all about that freedom and vibe.
Let's talk drums, do you prefer working with one-shots, loops, or chopping up sampled breaks?
Man, if I had to choose between one-shots or breaks, it’s honestly impossible—both are critical tools for me. Loops? Nah, not my vibe, though I did a jazz project where I used longer drum loops to mimic that live, natural drummer feel. Outside of that, I’m all about chopping.
With breaks, you’re getting that groove already laid out, and with one-shots, it’s just a break someone else already chopped up—or something custom-recorded, like those SP CHOPS-style one-shots.
When it comes to digging for breaks, I lean toward drum packs created by producers who sound-design or record their own. There’s something about those studio-crafted breaks with intentionality—like Pax and his crazy grooves—that opens up so many creative doors. The bounces, textures, and sound design possibilities often go beyond what even a great live drummer can capture.
Sound-design-heavy breaks just have that wicked energy. You chop them, and suddenly you’ve got a whole new vibe built on layers and subtleties. It’s like digging, but with modern tools that already push the boundaries. That’s my jam for sure.
We really appreciate your generosity in creating and sharing this sample pack with the beat-making community.
What do you love about this community, and what inspired you to contribute in this way?
What I love about this community is how everyone takes something from others, makes it their own, and puts their unique spin on it. That creativity and willingness to flip things inspires me to do the same.
As for what inspired me to create the sample pack, I wanted to give you guys the drums exactly how I use them—raw and layered. When I create drum loops, they often have a mix of different elements: drums from one person, processing from me, some percussion from somewhere else, live shaker hits, tambourine, or even pitched-down sounds. All of it comes together to form a groovy, dope loop that you can chop up or turn into one-shots however you want. I didn’t want to just give you something cookie-cutter; I want you to have the freedom to create your own thing.
What can you tell us about this drum pack? What was your vision behind it, and how did you go about creating and texturing these sounds?
The drum pack I created is a product of my brain, combining what I think sounds and feels good. Sometimes, less is more, but other times it’s about putting things together and giving you a raw, lo-fi vibe. I processed these drums using the 12 XT and gave them a nice, crunchy sound to bring out that low-fidelity, dirty, and textured feeling.
A lot of the process was done on the MPCX, creating drum loops I liked, then processing them through analog gear. I use tools like the FMR Audio RNLA 7239, Bereich03 Audio Density, and the Alice 505 Baxandall stereo EQ. When combined with the processing power of the MPCX and compression from the 404, it gives the drums a vibrant, colorful life that I feel is often missing. That’s why I think the beats people have been hearing from me lately have really resonated—they have this lively, full feeling. Saturation is key in bringing out those textures, making everything gel together in the end.
We recently caught one of your live performances where you incorporated a 404, a live drummer, and trumpet—a really impressive and innovative combination. It's exciting to see you push the envelope like that! Can we expect more of these creative setups in your future shows? ?
Hell yeah! Absolutely. That was so much fun to put together. And the setting—being in a band shell—made it even better. For those who don’t know, a band shell is an acoustically designed structure that amplifies and enhances the sound outdoors. It’s like an old-school speaker cone, but built into a building. Hearing the trumpet resonate through that space was surreal. And the best thing about that gig was that we hardly rehearsed, it was pretty much all improv, man.
What advice would you give to young producers just starting out trying to find success in music and in life?
For success in music, don’t quit. Many people give up just before they would have made it. I want everyone—young and old—to take a moment, look inside, and figure out what success means to them. To some, what I’m doing now is success. I’m making it in my own way, even without placements. I’m focused on leaving a mark in music, especially in Chicago and Wisconsin, so when I’m gone, my name is remembered.
As for life advice, make time for loved ones. This music journey is important, but it’s not everything. Time flies, and before you know it, your family won’t be here anymore. Spend time with them while you can. Don’t get lost in the online world. There’s a whole real world out there. That’s why I focus on in-person events like Flip A Beat Club and Beatmakers Toolbox—to bring people together. We’re here, we’re healthy, and we’re creating memories, spreading love, and supporting each other.
Your last beat tape, Growing Pains, dropped in 2023 and was well-received by fans. Can we expect any new releases from you in the near future? Any projects or upcoming music you're excited to share?
Definitely! I've been drip-releasing tracks recently. I dropped Lies and Truths back in June, followed by Cloud 4 in July, and then Warm Love came out on October 25th. The next big release was my new record, Nobody’s Perfect, which dropped late 2024. This project is part of an EP I’m working on with Flowstate Records—shout out to my homie Tom! The EP is also called Nobody’s Perfect because, well, none of us are, right? It’s going to be a 13-track project, and I’m aiming for an early 2025 release. In the meantime, I’ll keep dropping singles from the tape to build up the vibe.
There’s also a plan for a vinyl run when the full project is out, so stay tuned for that!
That sounds amazing! Any final words for your fans?
Just three: peace, love, and beats.
Hell yeah, love that. Thanks so much for sitting down with us!
Of course, man. Appreciate you.
