On Sept. 20, GRAMMY U members had the opportunity to learn from GRAMMY-nominated rapper Offset, who shared insights into his creative process behind his sophomore album, SET IT OFF.
The second-ever GRAMMY U Unwrapped event was held in Offset's Atlanta hometown, and the rapper was joined by several collaborators. Featured in the exclusive panel discussion were recording engineer and GRAMMY U alum JRich, producer/songwriter/rapper, and co-founder of the 808 Mafia collective Southside, and moderator by SheShe Pendelton, the creative and fashion director for SET IT OFF.
Nearly a year after the release of his sophomore album, SET IT OFF, the three-time GRAMMY nominee emphasized the importance of trust and honesty with contributors throughout the album's creation. Step inside the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center and read on for insights from all four creatives. GRAMMY U's Unwrapped was held in collaboration with the Recording Academy’s Atlanta Chapter and Black Music Collective, and made possible by participating sponsors Amazon Music and Mastercard.
Real Talk Begets Real Music
When Offset first played his album for Southside, Southside pointed out that while everything sounded great, there was no real intro. This surprised Offset, who had spent two years working on the album and thought it was nearly complete. That feedback was crucial, and led to the creation of "ON THE RIVER" as the opening track.
As soon as Offset heard the beats from Southside, he knew the opening track needed to convey a more serious and vulnerable tone, rather than the high-energy and "turnt" vibe he’s known for. Offset and Southside's sessions are built on brutally honest feedback and a friendship that fosters strong creative trust. Once again, that relationship created powerful music.
Engineer JRich provided a glimpse into their recording routine for "ON THE RIVER" and the larger album, noting that he's always prepared to capture Offset's spontaneous ideas. JRich noted that they keep the music going, aiming to capture the "full vibe" of the experience with minimal technical interruptions. Since Offset does not write down his lyrics, this approach allows them to always be able to reference earlier ideas.
JRich offered a crucial piece of advice from the engineering perspective: never delete anything in a recording session. You'll never know which parts may become valuable to the artist later on. Offset praised JRich for his dedication.
Let The Moment Shape The Art
Producer JRich ┃ Derek White/Getty Images
The music video for "SAY MY GRACE" was filmed in Thailand and envisioned as a fast-paced and aggressive contrast to Offset's emotions. Featuring Travis Scott — whom Offset described as "always on the move" — Offset opted for a low-budget approach, capturing the stunning scenery with a simple camera setup.
The song reflects on Offset's loss of his grandmother, noting that he continues to persevere despite all of the "losses [he's] taking." He told the GRAMMY U audience that he's proud of the song's success on streaming platforms, considering it was one of the most difficult tracks for him to make.
JRich added that making this song was a unique experience, because Scott has a very different style of recording. In fact, Scott's verse in "SAY MY GRACE" differs from the original version because of a last-minute change Scott wanted to make.
Making that change to the verse was only possible because JRich's album deadline was eight days away, giving them time to re-work the track. But deadlines can be tricky for Offset; as someone who creates a lot, he doesn't know how many songs he'll make in a recording session. Deadlines, for Offset and many other artists, make it hard to guess how many tracks will come out of the studio.
Listening Is Always Worth It
Southside and Offset pose┃Derek White/Getty Images
"WORTH IT" was born from an unused sample from Don Toliver's producer. During a session together, Don Toliver played the sample, and Offset immediately liked the beat and vibe, which was different from his usual style.
Offset shared that sometimes artists can get caught up in perfectionism and overlook the potential in sounds they're not initially drawn to. While Toliver was a bit hesitant to release Offset's take on the track, "WORTH IT" ended up doing really well.
This concept can also apply to being open to changes suggested by producers. On "WORTH IT" Southside suggested that Offset change a couple of the verses. Since Offset trusts Southside's judgment, he took the advice.
Similarly, on "Clout" (featuring Cardi B), a song off of Offset’s first solo album, Southside recommended repeating "Do anything for clout" in the chorus instead of rapping straight through. That repetition became a defining feature of the song's success.
Southside added that he employs a philosophy of "simplicity always wins," and being communicative and open to feedback during the music creation process is essential.
Innovation Over Investment
Offset asked his sister to help with the music video for "DON'T YOU LIE," and with only spending $2,000–$3,000, it became one of his most popular videos on YouTube. This experience was a major learning moment for Offset, showing him that a successful music video doesn't require a huge budget. The video, filmed at his house, drew viewers in with its lifestyle focus.
Much like the "homey" vibe of the music video, Southside created the beat for "DON'T YOU LIE"' while just hanging out with Offset. Their collaboration, which dates back to 2014, thrives on their shared energy, making the creative process feel entirely natural — especially with this track.
JRich shared that he was given more creative freedom with "DON’T YOU LIE", adding drops to the track. Just as Southside has built a trusting relationship with Offset, he too has confidence in JRich to bring his vision to life. When offering advice to the audience and fellow engineers, JRich emphasizes that engineers can do more than just handle artist vocals; they can be creative with beats as long as they don’t overdo it and establish trust within the studio.
Trust Your Instincts & Create For Yourself
"I gave it my all," Offset said, reflecting on making the "FAN" music video, which took 26 hours to film at the Paramount Studios Lot in New York. SheShe Pendleton, who played a key role in the creative direction, called it her favorite project. The video features high-energy scenes that shift from Offset watching a movie in a theater to crashing cars in the street, performing on stage (a tribute to Michael Jackson), dreaming in bed, and even transforming into a werewolf.
Offset had a clear vision for the video, and despite some people telling him he was going overboard, he trusted both his instincts and his team. Offset invested in the cameras and choreography, with the support of Michael Jackson's family. In fact, much of SET IT OFF was inspired by Jackson, and thanks to Offset's connection with the family, he even wore one of Jackson's original jackets in the video.
By the time Offset was recording "FAN," he realized the project was deeply personal. If people liked it, great; if not, that was okay, too. He created "FAN" with the mindset that it was something he made purely for himself.
He shared that he doesn't like being boxed into one category and that it's important for creatives to explore different subjects and avenues in the industry. This mentality led to SheShe's transition from being Offset's personal shopper to his creative director, manager, and much more.
Be Passionate And Persistent
Offset┃Derek White/Getty Images
The panelists also offered some words of encouragement to the audience of aspiring music industry professionals and creatives:
"You just have to be creative. Money doesn't determine how far you go," Offset said. "All of us up here started with zero... Believe in your heart... and find people to help you complete your puzzle because you can't do everything alone. Also, never give up because it takes time to be great."
Southside encouraged the audience to keep moving. "You should never stop. Dream big and go for it."
Offset concluded the panel humbly, thanking his panelists and partners.: "A lot of hard work goes into creating an album from the lyrics to the visuals to picking the beats to the fashion," he said. After thanking GRAMMY U, the Recording Academy and the BMC for "giving me a platform to put on for Atlanta," Offset noted that "the kids here are the future and I wanna inspire the next generation."
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