Ben Billions on low-end production, plugin obsessions, and why AI “comes down to taste”Ben Billions didn’t hear his work on Lil Wayne’s The Carter VI until the rest of the world did. The three-time Grammy-winning producer and engineer left his mark on the album’s fourth track, Hip-Hop, which critics hail as one of the high points on the album, and brings Billions’ signature trills and bass-heavy beats to the forefront.
“I felt like a kid,” says Ben Billions at Warner Chappell Music’s 2025 Songwriting Camp in Las Vegas. “Nowadays, most of the time I’ve heard the song before it comes out, [So] I rarely get that feeling like a listener, which is fun.”
Having collaborated with hip-hop and R&B’s biggest stars — from Beyoncé, Doja Cat and The Weeknd to Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige and Kodak Black — the multi-platinum producer has learned to read the room. He knows when to step in and push an artist and when to just let them cook.
“Wayne’s one of the greatest ever,” Billions continues. “I think he just likes to rap, he doesn’t really want to be produced. A lot of artists these days – especially rappers – want to do it on their own. Sometimes it’s good to have a producer in there to help guide the process, but it’s [all about] however they feel most comfortable.”

Such a skillset proves invaluable at the Songwriting Camp, where the Warner Chappell team bring producers, songwriters and artists together to collaborate spontaneously. Ben Billions has been in several day-long sessions before our interview, often not meeting his collaborators before stepping into the studio. His 20-year career as an engineer and producer has tempered him for stints like this. Plus, he’s in love with music production: “I’m gonna make music till I die. It’s got its ups, its downs, but it’s a great gig.”
Billions’ first studio gig was an internship at Circle House Studios, Miami, where he learned how to become an audio engineer. There, he worked with some high-profile artists such as DJ Khaled, but also honed his skills working on some less inspiring material. “We called it trash for cash,” he chuckles. “From that, you learn how to make things sound good. You’d take things that were horrible and try to make them presentable.”
But whether it’s Lil Wayne walking into the studio or an upcoming act, he advises to keep an open outlook, adding that it’s crucial to “treat all artists the same.” At the Songwriting Camp, he’s walking into unfamiliar studios with unfamiliar people, but this doesn’t faze him.
“From being an engineer, there’s always some familiarity; we know our way around all these studios,” Billions says. “Plus, when you’re actually [working] with somebody with talent, it’s actually pretty easy — that’s a blessing.”
Billions’ new studio in Miami is still under construction. It’s being built in his home, and he’s being intentional about what his dream setup might look like, taking the comfort of his collaborators into consideration. “I was gonna do the whole ‘speakers in the wall’ thing,” he says, “but I’ve done enough jam sessions now that I’m like, ‘I’ll just put the speakers on the floor.’ I want it to be more cosy for people.”

View this post on Instagram

Beyond the big monitors he has his eye on, Billions isn’t desperate to deck out his studio with high-end hardware, but is instead on the lookout for more plugins. A self-confessed “plugin nerd,” the producer is often seeking inspiration from new software and emerging technology.
“[I’m] always on whatever the new plugins are because that’s what makes things [sound] new,” he explains, chuckling. “I keep telling myself I gotta stop buying this stuff just because I’ve used it a couple times, and I gotta make sure that it’s really gonna work into my way of making music.”
“I’m using Ableton Live, so I use a lot of its stock plugins,” he says of his main go-to tools. “If the session crashes, the stock plugins always open back up easily. But I go through phases, and it depends on what music I’m working on. When I was engineering, the Waves RVox was my go-to; for production, it changes because I’m always trying to find new ways to work.”
The Miami producer is renowned for his ability to bring out the low frequencies in a mix, but he assures that there’s no secret plugin or piece of gear behind the technique. It’s simpler than that: “You just gotta make sure you leave room for the low end. That’s the big secret. As an engineer, I’m always conscious of how the speaker moves, and really picking sounds that’ll move the speaker. If you really want it to knock, don’t let anything else get in the way of the low end.”
Like many producers, Billions has found it tough to ignore new generative AI platforms Udio and Timbaland-backed Suno. He’s keen to stay ahead of the curve and is taking a more optimistic approach, despite the brands facing copyright concerns.
“It’s a very gray area; it’s cool, but it’s also scary in many ways,” says Billions. “It really just comes down to taste more than anything now. That’s what music is anyway, but with AI, it’s like ‘alright, this can make anything,’ but somebody has to like the record for it to be good. It’s cool, and it’s fun, but I’m interested in seeing where it actually goes.
Billions is confident that generative AI is here to stay. He cites the Amazon and Suno partnership as a sign that big corporations are backing it; the recent news that Suno is valued at £2.45 billion is also an indication that producers will be competing or collaborating with gen AI for years to come.
“Suno is making a DAW now where you can prompt the bass line into the production,” he continues, suggesting the potential ways songwriters can harness generative AI. “It’s hard for me to feel attached to a song that I just prompted, but if you prompted a bass line, it’s at least like you’re being creative with the AI.”
Breaking through as a producer, however, isn’t about only relying on tools or techniques, says Billions — you have to connect with other artists and producers, and no technology will do that for you.
“The hermit in me wishes I didn’t have to [go out and meet people], but it’s definitely the name of the game,” he says. “I mean, some people are talented enough that they can just be in another country and send out beats. But I always have to be there, and it’s part of what I like. I like recording them, getting them mixed, and [seeing them] all the way through.”
Billions’ unwavering taste and commitment have kept him in the game since the mid-00s, and there’s sure to be more work coming his way. But whether he’s landing more Grammys or just making beats for more casual artists, he’s not expecting anything to stop him making music — disrupting tech or otherwise.
“I’m gonna make music forever, and God willing, we’ve got another 50 years.”
Read more music production interviews
The post Ben Billions on low-end production, plugin obsessions, and why AI “comes down to taste” appeared first on MusicTech.