By Oliver Heffron
A few years ago, Devin Malik had a choice: continue his path towards a computer science degree or accept an invitation to produce full-time for one of the world’s most prestigious and acclaimed labels, TDE. He chose the ladder, embarking on a multiple-year creative journey culminating with Malik’s foundational contribution on the mesmerizing, soothing yet haunting, and hard-hitting production on The House is Burning, Isaiah Rashad’s triumphant return to rap’s center-stage.
Born in Philadelphia and raised in Rancho Cucamonga, Devin Malik looked up to artists like Kanye, Pharrell, Mexikodro, and tyler, the creator as he grew up selling beats on SoundCloud and DJing, recollecting the artist D. Savage as the first artist to purchase one of his instrumentals back in high school. Malik’s budding talent blossomed quickly into a career when TDE noticed his instrumental abilities and unique sound.
Devin Malik’s hypnotic production and Rashad’s effortless flow were immediately a dynamic partnership. Years ago, their introduction was a pivotal moment in Malik’s turn towards producing full-time and began a long-running creative collaboration. Malik recounted in a recent interview with The Nuance, “We’ve been working on The House is Burning for like two to three years. How I met Rashad originally is TDE had a camp, where they booked a whole studio and invited artists and producers, and that’s where I met him and started working together. It’s been nearly a three-to-four-year process.” Malik’s talent in production was opening opportunities he could have hardly believed just a few years prior, as Isaiah Rashad was one of his absolute favorite artists since high school: “My brother and I were like super-mega fans, I don’t even want to go into details.”
Devin Malik’s production technique centralizes his collaborator: “Everything depends on the artist I’m working with; I just do whatever they want. I truly do listen to everything.” Over the five tracks Malik produced on The House is Burning, that philosophy bleeds true, creating five sonically unique yet thematically coherent instrumentals which skillfully accentuate Rashad and his feature’s vocal performances and successfully synthesize the project’s energy of chaotic tranquility.
Image courtesy of Devin Malik
Malik builds an entrancing atmosphere of twisted vocal samples, sparkling keys, and rhythmic bass plucks on the album’s opener, “Darkseid,” which presents the project’s thesis through this combination of Rashad’s striking lyricism and laidback delivery over Malik’s hauntingly dreamy production.
“True Story (feat. Jay Rock & Jay Worthy)” finds Malik crafting a soothing west-coast banger, accentuating a seductive bassline with enticing percussion choices and splashes of funk guitar strums which flow perfectly with the song’s chorus and propel Rashad, Jay Rock, and Jay Worthy’s verses for the tracks’ entirety.
Devin Malik utilizes and manipulates an intoxicating guitar groove on “Chad (feat YGTUT)” with punch trap-percussion and thunderous bass hits to form one of the most irresistible instrumentals on the project.
“9-3 Freestyle” exemplifies another irresistible instrumental moment from Malik, forging classic Crunk energy from a soul-shaking bassline, piercing drumline, and well-placed piano chords which mesh seamlessly with Rashad’s untethered and spontaneous lyrical barrage in a modernized formulation of Tennessee trap influences.
All Herb (feat. Amindi)” weaves aquatic arpeggiators with head-bopping, dust-covered Lo-fi percussion as Rashad and Amindi lyrically backstroke through the instrumental: “That was a cool session. That was probably my favorite.” Devin Malik is no stranger to working with rising star Amindi. He produced all but one track on Nice, creating a sound similar to “All Herb’s” with skillful percussion and mind-bending melody manipulation across Amindi’s debut project.
Devin Malik’s contribution and involvement with The House is Burning from start to finish solidifies his place as a rising young producer and provided invaluable experiences for the future: “Just seeing the whole album created and having input on even songs I didn’t do and seeing the mixing and mastering process, it was really cool, and I learned a lot.” Malik continues to work on TDE’s upcoming music while looking forward to venturing out for future collaborations: “I’m doin’ everything for TDE right now, and in the future, I’d love venture out and work with artists like Kid Cudi and Future and everybody, honestly.”
Devin Malik may have left school and found incredible success, but he still contemplates returning to complete his degree: “I was getting a degree in computer science, but I left to do the whole TDE thing. That whole process took three or four years away from school, so that’s kind of what I’m thinking about: going back to school and finishing.” Everybody could learn from this type of humility and dedication to personal goals, and it’s sure to propel Devin Malik to the top of whatever he chooses to jump into next.