# Episode 362: RASHAD SMITH (Pt.1): "The Mystery Beatmaker for Rakim, Uptown Records & Busta Rhymes"

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/road-podcast-reflections-of-a-dj-810244/episode-362-rashad-smith-pt-1-the-mystery-beatmaker-for-rakim-uptown-records-busta-rhymes
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/road-podcast-reflections-of-a-dj-810244/episode-362-rashad-smith-pt-1-the-mystery-beatmaker-for-rakim-uptown-records-busta-rhymes.md
Podcast: [ROAD PODCAST (Reflections Of A DJ)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/road-podcast-reflections-of-a-dj-810244)
Published: 2025-07-30T08:00:56+00:00
Episode link: https://soundcloud.com/roadpodcast/rashad-smith-pt1-the-mystery-beatmaker-for-rakim-uptown-records-busta-rhymes
Audio file: https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2138600778-roadpodcast-rashad-smith-pt1-the-mystery-beatmaker-for-rakim-uptown-records-busta-rhymes.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/road-podcast-reflections-of-a-dj-810244/episodes/episode-362-rashad-smith-pt-1-the-mystery-beatmaker-for-rakim-uptown-records-busta-rhymes
Duration seconds: 8091

## Resource

Episode 362: RASHAD SMITH (Pt.1): "The Mystery Beatmaker for Rakim, Uptown Records & Busta Rhymes" This week on @RoadPodcast, the crew sits down for Part 1 of an epic two-part conversation with legendary producer @Rashad_Ringo_Smith — the mastermind behind tracks for @TheNotoriousBIG, @BustaRhymes, @JayZ, @Beyonce, @TheGodRakim, and more. You may not know his name, but you definitely know his sound. Rashad kicks things off by reflecting on his early days as a DJ, his childhood nicknames, and the powerful influence his mother had on his musical journey (00:11). He shares his deep love for jazz and reveals how he flipped the same sample two different ways for Busta Rhymes’ “Woo Hah” and its remix featuring @OlDirtyBastardLegacy (08:55). He breaks down the art of crate digging with iconic producers, the origins of the “pause tape,” and how it became the foundation for early production before DAWs (18:01). Rashad dives deep into the making of “Woo Hah,” seeing the Hype Williams-directed video for the first time, and Spike Lee’s unexpected interest in using the track for Clockers (38:01). From crafting “Don’t Sweat the Technique” to the murky politics of credit in the industry (58:10), Rashad opens up about why he calls himself “The Muted Drum” — a nod to his role as one of the most “unknown, known” producers in hip-hop (1:11:04). He also shares stories from his time at Uptown Records, working with a young @Diddy, and the moment he invented the producer tag (1:31:01), before diving into the rise of Bad Boy Records and the complicated dynamics behind the scenes (1:55:01). The episode wraps with Rashad reflecting on the making of the classic Notorious B.I.G. track “One More Chance” (2:10:33). Don’t miss Part 2, where Rashad speaks on more of his iconic tracks and tells unforg…

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## Transcript

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