Rucci Signs Sai Baby As First Artist on DawgyBone Records
UNDRGRND Magazine | by Michael Pofsky & Andrew Mason | Dec 14th, 2023
Those who know hip-hop production, know Hit-Boy. The 12-time Grammy nominated and three time winning producer who’s worked with icons like Kanye West, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar, to name a few. He’s currently executing a historic album run with rap legend Nas, and released two volumes of his solo album series, Surf or Drown, in 2023.
If you look at Surf or Drown, Vol 2.’s tracklist, you’ll see an interesting name on nine of the ten songs — “Big Hit.” This happens to be Hit-Boy’s father, who was released from a lengthy prison stint this past year. Now out, Big Hit has continued the rap career he pursued before his time locked up — for real, go peep Big Hit’s 2004 album The Big Hit, available now on all streaming platforms.
Big Hit and Hit-Boy have clearly bonded through music over the past year or so. The father-son duo released two albums together under the Big Hit at the very end of 2023 — The Truth Is In My Eyes and Paisley Dreams. Both tapes dropped in December through Hit-Boy’s label, Surf Club Inc.
“This is about to be the real Big Hit. Straight, pure, uncut, West Coast gangsta music,” says Hit-Boy, who adds that producing for a family member “hits different.”
Further down the bloodline is “C3,” Hit-Boy’s son. At three years old, he’s already making progress as a budding musician. Living your childhood in studio sessions and music videos only fuels the creative fire that lives in an inquisitive toddler.
“[C3]’s already messing with the keyboard and drum machine,” Hit-Boy says, “even getting on the mic.”
There’s plenty of truth here to the old adage “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Family and lineage are virtues rarely displayed in the public eye with pride and enthusiasm, especially in the music industry. There’s the fear of “nepo baby” or “industry plant” accusations, the desire to protect family members from public scrutiny, and even the pressure of elevating the family name.
But for Hit-Boy, Big Hit, and C3, the family business is here. And they’re just getting started.