In 2012, I discovered GrandeMarshall on Twitter, where he initially caught my attention as a young photographer from Philly with a knack for capturing compelling lifestyle shots. But as we connected more, he revealed another layer of his talent—he was also making music. Knowing my background in design and A&R, he started sending me tracks, and it became natural for me to get involved in his music projects. We clicked creatively, and soon after, I began lending my skills to him and his manager as we dived into his debut project.

I leveraged my network, reaching out to high-caliber producers like DJ Dahi (known for his work with Drake and Kendrick Lamar) and other Toronto-based producers I had collaborated with in the past. The first single we put together, “GODBPM,” started gaining serious traction online. The buzz around it brought attention from both major and independent labels. After taking meetings with several of them, we ultimately decided to sign with Brooklyn-based Fools Gold Records, the innovative label run by A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs. That partnership helped set the stage for GrandeMarshall’s music to break into the larger scene.