A decade of production work with the likes of Trey Songz, Iggy Azalea and Wiz Khalifa earned this Detroit native a Grammy nomination. But Maejor Ali broke out in a big way when he teamed up with Justin Bieber and Juicy J for the 2013 hit “Lolly.” How sweet it is.
HOMETOWN: Detroit, Mich.
HOMEBASE: Everywhere
FIRST INSTRUMENT: Piano (self-taught)
BEST CONCERT I’VE RECENTLY BEEN TO: When we were writing songs for Bieber—I call him Bizzle—I learned a lot about what his show was like from watching it. There are not a lot of things at that scale—it’s very high-scale. That’s been cool to see.
DREAM VACATION: Probably Thailand. It’s a beautiful place.
DREAM COLLABORATION: Juicy J and Justin Bieber! Working with them for “Lolly” was a dream come true.
FIRST CONCERT: Kriss Kross in Jamaica—my family’s from there. I went with my uncle Ian.
GREW UP LISTENING TO: Old Motown songs and reggae songs, also Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson
2014 PLANS: It’s a mystery!
FAVORITE PRODUCERS: I like a lot of the young producers, like Young Chop and Boy Wonder.
411: Originally from Detroit Michigan, Maejor Ali (born Brandon Green) has written and produced for the likes of Wiz Khalifa, Three 6 Mafia, Iggy Azalea and Trey Songz, the latter earning him a Grammy nomination. Though he’s best known for his work as a producer, in September 2013 he released the single “Lolly,” featuring Justin Bieber and Juicy J.
MYSPACE // OFFICIAL // TWITTER
1. Why did you choose Maejor Ali as your moniker? I know you used to be called Bei Maejor.
The main thing is, I was really inspired and moved by the story of Muhammed Ali. Not his boxing, but his stance on the Vietnam War. At the peak of his career he was drafted, and because of his religious beliefs, he didn’t do it. And he was stripped of his title, [and] his career. But standing up for your beliefs, that’s a hero for me. That inspired me to take on a dedication to something.
2. Tell me about the process behind “Lolly.” What was it like working with Juicy J and Justin Bieber?
The cool thing with both of them is that they both liked the song independently of each other—it wasn’t a label set up. I played it for them, they liked it and they wanted to do a verse on it. That made it a lot easier on that side; they’re very creative people and have their own style. And they added a twist to it, which I think really helped it. But yeah, they’re pretty easy to work with, and it was pretty organic of a process.
3. What have you been listening to lately?
I’ve been working with producing Justin’s new music, and we’ve been doing a lot with him. I’m so busy working that I haven’t been listening to much of anything else.
4. How did you start producing?
One day when I was like, 16, one of my friends brought a CD to school. He told me “I did this beat,” man. And I didn’t even know people could make beats—that was so foreign of a concept to me, I didn’t grow up in the music industry or anything. So once I saw that, I wanted to try it. And I liked it so much; I decided to continue pursuing it.
5. Any advice for young producers?
I would say, just be as creative and unique as you can. Sometimes people try to make it about following people, and sometimes it works, but the way to stand out is to make it unique to you. Don’t be afraid to try new stuff. I think producers are afraid of not fitting in, but you have to not be afraid of that.
