Rodney Hazard, by far is one of the best producers in the music industry right now and his resume speaks for itself.
He has worked with big names in the industry such as Future, A$AP Mob, Mannie Fresh, Joe Budden, and the late Heavy D.
Hazard is based in Brooklyn, where he founded his own company, Le Loup Studios. I had the pleasure of speaking with this talented music producer/ musician on his journey, how it all began, and where it’s going next.
Originally from Worcester, Massachusetts, Hazard ended up in Brooklyn after graduating from St. John’s University where he majored in graphic design. Influenced by one of his older cousins, Hazard wanted to tie in his love of art into something practical without losing his passion for music.
“I was always an artist. I was constantly making music on the side, but the graphic design was something that I picked up and I saw it as something that I can apply to my music as well,” he continued. “I love making things and helping people create things in a way that they couldn’t communicate before., It’s a big part of what fulfills me.”
Although he always had a love for music, his music career began while in St. John’s when he landed his first gig with Joe Budden. “My freshman year, I actually landed my first placement with Joe Budden when he was rapping on the album “Halfway House.” This was the push that caused Hazard to take this one full time.
Since then he has released multiple projects on Datpiff, as well as began producing for multiple artists. His hard work led him to work with the aforementioned, late great Heavy D. Hazard recounts the time that famed rapper left him with some gems that he still lives by to this very day.
“The biggest thing that I took from Heavy D, was his relentless approach. You need to apply yourself in order to get things done,” he continued. He also left me with, “No matter what happens when you leave this room, you need to realize there is a reason why you are in this space. Take up the space that you need to take up.”
Living by those very words to this very day, Hazard, like many of us, hit a minor setback once the world became shut down due to COVID-19. Although it stopped his work travels, he was still able to focus on other aspects of his career as well as learn new things about himself.
“This pandemic definitely took a toll on me, but the thing that helped me as an artist and an entrepreneur was meditation. Before that, I felt like life was accelerated by two years because I was always on the move. The meditation helped me get out of my own way, it helped me move intentionally because of it.”
With this intention, Hazard has plans to pay it forward within various communities. He recently partnered with a group in Baltimore, called Dent Education, where they teach their kids creative entrepreneurship, design thinking, social innovation, etc. His role was teaching these kids a crash course on how to shoot a lot of content from home.
Hazard wants to expand on this by signing more artists, reproduce his music as well as other people’s music, and help other up and coming producers and artists find their full potential and rescale Le Loup studios.
If you want to be a part of Le Loup Studios make sure to follow him on all social media platforms; @RodneyHazard and make sure you listen to his music streaming Spotify, iTunes, Tidal, etc. Especially his latest albums, Emergency, and Dancing in the Rain.
