Turbo Tells the Stories Behind Producing Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s Song “Please” and How He Got His Producer Tag

Possessing a forward-moving sound, Georgia native Turbo has worked on three No. 1 albums this year so far: YSL’s Slime Language 2, Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s The Voice of the Heroes and The Kid Laroi’s F*ck Love. On the cusp of going diamond with “Drip Too Hard” by Lil Baby and Gunna, Turbo, 27, shares his perspective as one of the game’s most coveted producers.

How did the beat for “Please” off Lil Baby and Lil Durk’s project The Voice of the Heroes come about?

I knew they was working on an album. Maybe for like, two or three days, I pulled up to Baby’s studio. I just kind of know him at this point. So, like, he will either not say nothing at all or he’ll rap a little bit. When the “Please” beat came up, him and [42] Dugg was just in there going back and forth, rapping a little bit, but they didn’t really put nothing down.

In the mixing process, I was just kicking it with Matt [Mattazik Muzik, Lil Baby’s engineer], listening to what they was doing. And they played “Please” for me. They was just saying how this was they favorite song. And this was like the most different-sounding on the project.

What’s your favorite part about working so heavily with Gunna?

It don’t feel like work. Shit, it just feels like we’re just two brothers, sitting in the studio and we just happen to be talented. We feed off of each other and just talk about a lot of life shit and goals. So, it’s really effortless.

How does it feel to be a part of three No. 1 albums this year, so far?

Man, I don’t expect nothing less. That’s how I came in, bro. Everything is going platinum like we didn’t know gold. It’s definitely a blessing and I’m definitely grateful to be able to work with the artists that I work with. But honestly, if it doesn’t do that, then I’m not happy. We’re just gonna have to sit inside the studio and keep trying.

What’s the story behind your producer tag?

I actually had a buddy that was from my same neighborhood. And one day, he came over Shad [Da God’s] house and they was doing a song and he kept fucking up. And he kept saying, “Run it back, Turbo” when I was recording at the time. He was literally telling me to start the punch over, so he can do the line that he was trying to do over and get it perfected. He just said it so many times, I grabbed one of the takes. It was real authentic and real genuine, nothing really planned.

Check out more from XXL magazine's Fall 2021 issue, on stands now, including our cover story with Tyler, The Creator, Lil Nas X's battle for respect in hip-hop, Wale talks about his new album, Folarin 2, find out more about Maxo Kream in Doin' Lines, Bia reflects on how far she's come in her career after "Whole Lotta Money" success, BMF actor Da'Vinchi talks rap music in Hip-Hop Junkie, Isaiah Rashad keeps it real about his faith, SoFaygo discusses signing to Travis Scott's Cactus Jack label, CupcakKe's fresh outlook on life with new album on the way, OhGeesy's new solo career and goals, Blueface embraces the good and bad of going viral, Vory is hip-hop's rarely seen, always heard new voice, President of Asylum Records Dallas Austin explains how to develop trust with artists, Baby Tate wants Black women to get all the respect, Denzel Curry shares his train of thought when creating his song "The Game" and more.