MBW’s World’s Biggest Producers collection sees us interview – and rejoice – a few of the excellent abilities working in studios throughout the many years. This trip we meet Sean Momberger, co-producer of the track of 2024, Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us – who additionally labored with artists equivalent to Jack Harlow, Chris Brown, and Doja Cat. World’s Biggest Producers is supported by Kollective Neighbouring Rights, the neighbouring rights agent that empowers and equips purchasers with information to totally maximise their earnings.
Kendrick Lamar stares proper down the lens of Sean Momberger’s cell phone as he raps, by no means lacking a beat.
The yr was 2013 and the then-rookie rapper was taking part in a university tour in Gainesville, Florida. Momberger – then a hip-hop obsessive, enterprise administration scholar and wannabe producer – made certain he was within the entrance row for Lamar’s set, filming the footage of “child Kendrick” that he’s proudly displaying MBW on his cellphone proper now, in 2025.
“It was an amazing present,” Momberger reminisces. “I keep in mind being super-inspired, so it’s loopy now that I get to work on Kendrick’s music…”
Certainly, as of late, Momberger has a special type of front-row seat for Lamar’s phenomenal success. He rode shotgun as co-producer (alongside his common collaborator, Dijon “Mustard” McFarlane) on Not Like Us, a track born within the white warmth of Lamar’s beef with Drake, however that has gone on to be something however a minor hit, putting a chord all over the place from UK soccer stadiums to the Grammys and the Tremendous Bowl Halftime Present.
“Simply to be residing in LA for the previous yr and all of the locations I’ve heard the track, it’s just like the theme track for LA, all of the sports activities groups are utilizing it. It’s a cultural touchstone proper now.”
“It’s loopy,” Momberger laughs, displaying off his official Kendrick Lamar Tremendous Bowl hoodie (though he missed the gig as a result of he was sick). “I didn’t essentially even know the observe was going to drop after which, when it did, I actually didn’t grasp how huge the track could be. Simply to be residing in LA for the previous yr and all of the locations I’ve heard the track, it’s just like the theme track for LA, all of the sports activities groups are utilizing it. It’s a cultural touchstone proper now.”
It’s additionally diamond-certified proof of Momberger’s personal late-blooming super-producer standing. He grew up in Gainesville and, whereas he by no means took to the piano and drum classes his mother and father made him take (“that all the time felt like homework”), he bought his first drum machine in center college and found music manufacturing by way of Kanye West YouTube movies.
After faculty, he moved to LA along with his brothers and began working with a rapper referred to as Skeme, who ended up inviting Momberger to London to work on an Iggy Azalea report with manufacturing staff The Invisible Males. Momberger ended up taking part in keyboards on Azalea/Charli XCX’s 2014 megahit, Fancy.
“I added a number of issues they usually discarded a few of it, however they picked one sound I added and it made it to the ultimate combine,” he shrugs. “I don’t assume they knew it was going to be that huge and, one way or the other, I bought my identify on it. I used to be a footnote on that track, I wasn’t a producer, however simply to see how huge a track can get was inspiring. That was positively the purpose in my profession once I might see how far I might take it.”
Skeme additionally launched Momberger to Mustard, and the 2 fashioned a dynamite manufacturing staff (“I’m Robin to Mustard’s Batman,” Momberger says, with trademark humility).
They have been jobbing producers for years, working their manner up the hip-hop ranks collectively and now discover themselves red-hot, courtesy of Lamar’s Not Like Us and TV Off, whereas Momberger was additionally a co-producer on Jack Harlow’s monster hit, Lovin’ On Me, sourcing its distinctive Cadillac Dale pattern.
It was Not Like Us, nonetheless, that swept the 2025 Grammys, selecting up 5, together with File Of The 12 months and Music Of The 12 months, an occasion nonetheless contemporary in Momberger’s thoughts as he catches up with MBW.
“I positively was not anticipating it, however my intestine was telling me it was Kendrick’s yr,” says the producer, who had a low-key celebration along with his publishers (300/Warner Chappell) and his brothers after the ceremony. “After I wakened, I used to be nonetheless in disbelief.”
Momberger ought to in all probability get used to it. Now 34 years outdated, he admits it is going to be tough to prime his current success (“The place are you able to go? I don’t know…”), however his cellphone has been ringing purple scorching, and he has huge plans to develop some new artists of his personal and take his collaboration with Mustard to the following stage.
However first it’s time for him to sit down down with MBW in his LA studio and speak AI, sampling and why he’s not bothered about Not Like Us court docket circumstances…
DID YOU REALLY NOT KNOW STRAIGHT AWAY THAT NOT LIKE US WOULD BE HUGE?
By no means. The best way Mustard and I work is, he’ll textual content me saying, ‘I would like concepts for so-and-so’. That week he was like, ‘I’m sending stuff to Kendrick’.
When he mentioned that, I bought a little bit spark of inspiration. I got here throughout this Monk Higgins report (I Consider To My Soul), which turned the track I selected to pattern. After I made it, I believed Kendrick may prefer it, however that was simply one of many concepts I made that day. I didn’t go away considering like, ‘Oh man, I made probably the most unimaginable concept’.
I despatched it to Mustard and he did his factor. After I heard it was the one Kendrick was going to make use of, I stored going again to the concept and listening to it on my pc like, ‘Is that this actually the one he picked, what’s this going to be?’ That’s the particular a part of Kendrick; he’s only a genius inventive and he bought it immediately. So, when it got here out, I used to be super-surprised at the way it got here collectively. I positively didn’t assume it could be the hit it turned.
Do I normally know successful? I’d say no! The Jack Harlow track I knew was going to be successful, however apart from that I simply preserve my head down, do just a few concepts a day and see the place the chips fall.
WHAT DOES A HIT LIKE THAT DO TO YOUR CAREER?
I’m not like a younger, up-and-coming producer, so it appears like I’ve lastly had this second and all of the exhausting work has paid off.
I’ve been working much more with new producers and artists, it’s been life-changing. I’d all the time get a few information a yr, smaller placements, and I’d be fairly glad with these, however I simply didn’t realise what a No.1 would do on your profession.
Simply a few hits can change your complete profession and it’s been actually humbling to see, particularly as a result of I’ve been doing it for thus lengthy.
If this occurred once I was 21, who is aware of what would have occurred? It in all probability would have been an excessive amount of. Being older, figuring out easy methods to take care of funds and expectations, figuring out you may get a few hits after which not have something for years… I’m very conscious of that!
WHY DOES YOUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH MUSTARD WORK SO WELL?
It’s humorous, as a result of the primary 4 years I labored with him, we didn’t actually have that many vital songs. I used to be like, ‘We’re going to get one at some point’ and it simply occurred to be the most important report of each of our complete careers!
I simply all the time belief his imaginative and prescient and the way he approaches making music. He’s positively a particular producer.
He’s positively extra the membership man; he’s going to place all of the particular components in to make it stand out on the radio. He’ll put his signature drums and his signature bounce on it. I simply follow the melody part or the samples, the concept that begins it, all then he’ll put all his particular sounds on it to make it a giant manufacturing.
THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT HIP-HOP GOING OFF THE BOIL CHARTS-WISE, SO ARE YOU AND MUSTARD SAVING IT?
[Laughs] I don’t actually pay an excessive amount of consideration to the charts, as a result of it’s nothing I can management, that’s extra for the followers and the music execs.
There’s numerous good hip-hop out proper now, so I wouldn’t say Kendrick’s saving it. Pop is doing actually good proper now, a few years in the past rap was doing good, nation was doing good final yr… It simply has its phases.
DO YOU LIKE WORKING WITH OTHER PRODUCERS?
I’m fairly introverted, so I’m not super-collaborative with everybody, however I really like working with different producers, simply to see what they’d do to an concept I’ve. And it’s super-big proper now in rap manufacturing; all the large producers are working with someone, versus again within the day it was extra solo manufacturing.
WHAT KIND OF A PRODUCER ARE YOU?
I do know numerous producers are extra hands-on, however I prefer to let the artist do their factor. I convey an concept to the desk after which let the artist write to it, after which perhaps do the drums after.
It’s positively a collaborative effort; I really like the enter of the artist, and engineers are actually essential within the studio. I’m very humble, so anybody within the room that has concepts, I’m all the time graciously accepting them. I really like working with everybody within the room.
DO YOU CHANGE YOUR STYLE WHEN YOU’RE WORKING WITH A BIG NAME LIKE DOJA CAT OR JUSTIN BIEBER?
I follow my model. Doja is fairly R&B/poppy, however she determined to do a rap album and I used to be fortunate sufficient to get to work together with her.
However I don’t prefer to chase placements, I prefer to create music and, if the concepts communicate to the artist, then that’s nice. I simply do my very own factor and see what occurs.
YOU HAVE A REPUTATION AS KING OF THE SAMPLES…
Yeah, that’s my calling card proper now. That’s testomony to being a real hip-hop fan. All of the songs I listened to once I was a child in center college, they have been all samples. I used to be by that course of of manufacturing the place you are taking an outdated report, flip it and switch it into one thing new. Sampling is the DNA of hip-hop; when it began within the Bronx, everybody was sampling information and breaks.
THE JACK HARLOW SAMPLE on Lovin’ on me WAS PRETTY OBSCURE. HOW DO YOU FIND THEM?
These days, numerous outdated collectors will add their music on-line. I’m going to numerous report shops, however yow will discover numerous stuff on YouTube. I simply sift by means of sounds all day, spending 5 to 6 hours a day listening to new music, new concepts, new inspirations.
It doesn’t must be obscure, however that’s normally the place you discover the gold; stuff individuals haven’t heard or used.
DO YOU ALWAYS KNOW A GOOD SAMPLE WHEN YOU FIND IT?
Sure, immediately I pull up Professional Instruments and I’m off to the races. I don’t spend a lot time over-thinking; proper once I hear it, I’m prepared to begin working.
There are two issues I’m searching for – both a dynamic sound or an unimaginable loop that’s already able to go. The perfect-case situation is, you come throughout a fantastic, wonderful little four- to eight-bar loop which may not be all through the track, however you discover it hidden in a report.
HAVE YOU EVER NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET PERMISSION FOR A SAMPLE YOU WANTED TO USE?
Yeah, it occurs on a regular basis – that’s the hiccup with sampling. You get a placement and the artist and label will ask for the pattern particulars, you’ll ship it to them and also you may hear in a few weeks that they don’t wish to clear it. Often, they need an excessive amount of of the report or an excessive amount of cash and the artist doesn’t have the finances, or they don’t wish to do it.
These are dangerous days once I get that notification; we both must replay it or scramble – it’s a enjoyable little mission to try to make an analogous vibe and change the pattern. However respect to all of the artists, it’s their copyrighted music so, in the event that they don’t wish to clear it, I respect it.
YOU DIDN’T HAVE A PUBLISHER UNTIL QUITE RECENTLY. ARE YOU QUITE CAUTIOUS ABOUT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?
Yeah, I do know that’s bizarre as a result of numerous youngsters signal with publishers and managers. However I’m self-managed and me and my brother deal with all our enterprise. I do have a lawyer that I’m good buddies with – all you want is a lawyer after which, if it is sensible, associate with a writer.
I prefer to preserve to myself – I really like all of the individuals who work within the music trade, however it may be overwhelming and, should you signal a foul deal, it may go away a foul style in your mouth.
DOES THE INDUSTRY VALUE PRODUCERS AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD?
Everybody’s under-valued, to be sincere. The entire streaming period has been irritating for producers and songwriters and even artists.
You make a track like Not Like Us, with over a billion streams, it’s heard in each metropolis the world over and the royalty charges are simply so low that you just actually must have a number of of these one-in-a-million songs in your profession to reside comfortably.
“You’d assume with a track like that, you’d by no means have to work once more however, sadly, it’s not the case with how streaming works.”
You’d assume with a track like that, you’d by no means have to work once more however, sadly, it’s not the case with how streaming works. The radio pays a little bit higher, however I actually hope Spotify and everybody’s charges can come up a bit, so all of the writers can really feel a little bit higher about themselves.
It’s bizarre, as a result of it’s a tech firm, however every thing on their web site is from musicians. We make all of the stuff that’s making them billions of {dollars} after which the royalty charges we get again are so low.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT AI?
Oh man! It’s positively the long run and I’d hate to not use it, I’m all the time down with what’s new.
I do know The Beatles’ track that was up for File Of The 12 months (Now And Then) used AI and I take advantage of some AI stuff, separating stems.
I’m not a fan of taking away jobs for musicians, however it will have a spot within the music trade. We’ve bought to discover a manner to make use of it appropriately and respectfully, so it doesn’t take jobs away.
I don’t fear about individuals taking my sound. I’m extra anxious about individuals saying, ‘I would like a guitar’, and never going to a guitar participant, taking a session musician’s job. However you possibly can’t ever get it fairly like a human might do it, you’re nonetheless going to want the love and care that wants to enter it.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT DRAKE SUING UNIVERSAL MUSIC OVER NOT LIKE US?
I’ve no ideas on what’s going to occur with it or any involvement in it. To me it’s simply entertaining to see within the information. It makes individuals return and take heed to the track, in order that’s tremendous with me!
It’s fascinating although, it provides an entire one other stage to the track and it’s type of unprecedented so, in that sense, it’s a historic second for certain.
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