Grammy-nominated Dartmouth producer wants to mentor others
Grammy-nominated music producer and composer Jacob Smith, AKA My Best Friend Jacob, started his career in Halifax and went on to make a name for himself.
Now he's giving back.
Together with Music Nova Scotia, Smith will help an aspiring producer in the province navigate the industry.
"It's something I wish I had more of … when I was coming up in the music industry here," Smith said during an interview with CBC Information Morning Nova Scotia.
Smith has worked internationally with some of the biggest names in hip-hop and rap, artists such as 21 Savage, Vince Staples, The Weekend, Travis Scott and Kanye West.
Smith was nominated for the Best Rap Album Grammy in 2023 as one of the producers of Heroes & Villains.
Persistency and consistency is what got him to where he is now, he said.
He bought a house in Dartmouth in 2023 and moved home, he said. That same year he was approached by Music Nova Scotia with the idea of creating a mentorship.
Music just one aspect of the industry
He wants the applicant who gets the spot in the program to learn how to make connections and run a business.
"What I've realized in my career, especially leaving Nova Scotia for a very long time, is the music is only one aspect of it," he said.
He said many skills are required to successfully produce and record music.
Smith said he hopes after the program ends he can "continue to invest in all the up-and-coming talent here in Nova Scotia because we have a lot of it."
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