Over the past two decades, multi-platinum selling, multiple GRAMMY Award-winning producer/songwriter Khari Cain aka Needlz has carved a niche for himself working with new artists poised on the brink of stardom. Early records by future superstars like Drake, Cardi B, and Bruno Mars all feature Needlz on production and songwriting duties, and with his new Atlanta-based studio, Needlz hopes to continue helping a new generation of artists rise to the top.

As part of our 30th Anniversary celebrations, we sat down with the producer to talk about his impressive discography, his favorite gear, and his decade-long relationship with Vintage King.

Tell us a little about your studio.

The studio is a work in progress. It's something that I've been working on for about two-and-a-half years now and the goal of the studio is to really become the hub of artist development in Atlanta in several different genres, not just one genre. I'm also really big on working with new artists—I feel like it's an opportunity for me to shape the future in a sense and plant some of the knowledge I've learned over the years into new artists, new blood, new energy. I think it’s the best way to make my impact on the industry at this point in my career.

What sets your studio apart from other recording spaces?

First of all, it's designed by WSDG—John Storyk and his team are one of the top studio builders in the world, so the quality of the build and the rooms sound great and they also look great! In Atlanta, we don't pay as much attention to that because a lot of studios just rent rooms out and people are smoking in there and doing whatever to those places—my studio, which is located in the heart of the city in midtown Atlanta, is a non-smoking environment, it doesn’t have really big rooms, but it's a really intimate environment.

I have big plans for it. It's not only about recording music, we're also big on the video aspect of it with broadcasting, streaming, and things of that nature—it's been set up in a way that's going to allow us to do that on a higher level as well. We also have a Dolby Atmos Room. I think all those things really separate us from other studios in the area.

Tell us about some of the memorable artists you've worked with.

I worked with a young Bruno Mars, a young Drake, a young Cardi B on their first albums, and that’s been my thing over my career and this kind of speaks to what I'm doing now as well. I also worked with 50 Cent, PnB Rock, Rest In Peace, Nicole Bus, Coco Jones, and Coi Leray. I've been blessed to have a good career thus far.

What is it like working with new artists—what draws you to that, specifically?

First of all, a lot of this generation is used to recording themselves, because technology gives them the ability to record in their homes; you can get a beat online for really cheap and put it on the Internet from your house. So this generation is not used to having somebody in the studio with them saying, “Hey, maybe we should try it this way”, and challenging them to write a better song or a bigger song and giving them pointers. I think when I work with new artists, a majority of them appreciate the help throughout the songwriting process.

It also helps that I have the credentials behind me. It kind of gives them assurance because I’ve done this before, but also, they can really see that I’m not trying to belittle them or make the song wack. I'm trying to make a good song and also trying to make it a bigger song that appeals to more than just a few people. I swing for the fences every time and try to make songs that are accessible worldwide and I have fun with that, so it's a great situation for me. I'm trying to capitalize on what I think my strong suits are.

How did you first become aware of Vintage King and what was your first experience working with us?

I've become somewhat of a gearhead or a gear nerd, however you want to say that. [Laughs] So when I was looking for cutting-edge technology, or something new, or wanting to know what was next, I found that when I looked online, I couldn't get it from a regular place; I needed somebody who had access to the really high-end, boutique stuff and I found the salespeople at Vintage King really knowledgeable—that's a big thing. Sometimes, I'll go into a local pro audio place and I know more about the equipment than they do, you know what I mean? [Laughs] At Vintage King, I could tell that the people who work there are really knowledgeable about the products they sell. They do a good job, they enlighten me, they tell me what's new, point me in the right direction and, sometimes, they'll tell me, “You shouldn't get this.” So I really appreciate their expertise.

Even with this studio that I'm building here, they pointed me in the right direction as far as some people who could possibly build it and people who can source some of the equipment, so they've been great to work with. I've been working with Vintage King for over a decade at this point and they’ve been great.

What are some of your favorite pieces of gear that you have purchased from Vintage King?

Through Vintage King, I got my SSL AWS 948 console, which is the centerpiece of my studio—I like it because it has a small footprint. I've always wanted this actual board, so to get it from them was really cool. I'm in my studio now and pretty much everything that I'm looking at came from VK. [Laughs] The Burl Audio Mothership, which is my front end, has allowed me to have this really big sound. Another piece that I like is the Rupert Neve Designs Master Buss Processor—that's another piece that allows me to make the soundscape of my music a lot bigger. I also got into all the stuff from Barefoot really early on because of Vintage King. It’s funny, I'm looking at my studio and I would say 90% of the stuff in this room came from VK.

How has Vintage King helped you with gear selection, purchasing, and servicing in the past?

I call them when I have a need. For example, if I’m looking to get a mic because my vocals are coming out harsh or I'm looking to have a bigger sound on the front end, or I'm looking to do a certain type of patchbay, I’ll call them and they'll give me options. They're not really trying to upsell—they'll give me the options, I'll do some further research, and we talk things through. 

One good mic that was recommended to me was an Upton 251, which was recommended by Jeff Leibovich, who was my salesman at the time. He put me on to this mic and it sounds great—it sounds better than a mic that’s two or three times the price! At the time, I had a lot of money and I was ready to spend it! [Laughs] And he was like, “Look man, go with this mic, you'll save $5,000 and it'll sound great.” I took his advice, and now I want to get two more! I really respect the people that I work with there; I feel like they're not selling to me, they’re trying to make sure I have the stuff that I need for whatever I'm working on.

What sets Vintage King apart from other pro audio gear companies?

I don't know what the salespeople's occupations were beforehand, but it feels like they were all engineers or musicians or something. So first off, what sets them apart is their knowledge—knowledge of their equipment and of what's coming out as well. Also, the fact that they service and sell vintage gear definitely sets them apart. If you’re buying something from VK that’s used, it's going to be in great condition because they check everything out and make sure that everything is working properly. And also, I'm from Michigan and Vintage King’s home base is Michigan, which is really cool.

How has the industry changed since you first opened your doors and how has your studio adapted to those changes?

The industry has changed a lot just because of technology; I think technology has allowed people to work in their own individual spaces. As a producer, it has made my job easier when it comes to things like sampling, time stretching, and other creative things like that. When I started, the first choice I had to make, equipment-wise, was to get an old Yamaha mixer or a computer. I ended up getting a computer and that was when Pro Tools just started. 

On the broader side, technology has made more music available to everybody, which is a good and a bad thing. There are a lot of people making music now, there’s a lot of music being released, so navigating that and finding good music can be challenging. Nevertheless, I always try to embrace technology and get ahead of things. Going back to what Vintage King does, they definitely steer me in the right direction on what's needed, what's coming, and those types of things.

Looking back, what are you most proud of in terms of your studio’s history?

I'm just proud to have some longevity in the music industry. It's really hard to maintain some level of success for two decades so I'm proud of that, but at the same time, I just feel like this is a middle point in my career. I feel like I have a lot more to give, a lot more music to put out, and I'm really looking forward to the second half of my music career and maybe going more into the business side or the corporate side. 

I would say I’m proud of just being in the game and persevering for this long because there are a lot of ups and downs in this business—it's a very hard industry, so just being here, twenty-something years later, has been great.

What are your plans for the future of your studio?

I hope my studio becomes the hub of the city in regards to new artists, doing different, creative, and trendsetting things; I feel like I will be importing people from L.A., New York, and Miami to work here. I think the future is bright for the studio and the studio itself is going to be branded in a different way than anything that's come before because I want the experience and the music that comes out of this place to be something that is on a high level. 

I also want people to really be able to see the creative process, I think that's really important. The real big thing is, I want people to have access to all the things it takes to make quality records—all the interactions, the arguments, the perspectives of different people… as a producer, I don't just sit there and make beats. I'm managing personalities, making sure the artist is working with the songwriter, the engineer is mixing things right—I'm like the captain of the ship and I don’t know that people have really seen the way I'm going to show that and have that insight.

It’s also going to allow people to get a first look at really good artists at an early point in their career. So people will be able to look back at the footage or episodes or whatever, and say, “Oh, I remember when I saw such-and-such on this platform.” That’s what the goal is.

I haven't quite named my studio yet; I'm so nervous. [Laughs] It’s such an important thing to me and I want to be perfect—I want everything about it to be perfect because, over the past three years, I've really put the work into the build of it. Over the next two or three months, I have to figure out the name and as soon as I get it, I'll definitely let you guys know.

Want to learn more about Needlz? Check out our 20 Questions interview! 

Jacob SchneiderIf you’re interested in purchasing gear for your studio, contact a Vintage King Audio Consultant via email or by phone at 866.644.0160.