Today we’d like to introduce you to Marcus Hanna.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Marcus. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Started Production when I was about 16/17. The love for music basically stemmed from the “Endless Saturday’s” of cleaning and dancing with my mother. She wasn’t the ordinary oldies type person. She listened to Biggie, Lil’ Kim, Gap Band, Kem, and her all-time favor Tupac. Safe to say that when I fell in love with Gangster Rap. I would lose myself in the drums which at age nine, I wanted to be “Devin Miles”, Nick Cannon’s character in “Drumline”, so I went for it, which in turn, is my favorite hobby! It wasn’t until 2005 where the beats and producers names in music were ringing bells. Back then the heavy hitters were Shawty Redd and Zaytoven, the Trap Gurus as I would call them. Shawty Redd’s gritty sounds, hard-hitting drum, crazy hats, loud claps and Zaytoven’s musical ability accompanied by Trap Drums FUELED me, I wanted to be that, I wanted to create my own sound so in 2009, I started messing with “Fruity Loops” now known as “FL Studio” my friend Chris Mobley aka Rocketman came over to teach me the ins and out!
From then, there were endless nights of loops, and drums, I couldn’t even save a project from using the Demo for two years straight! I’ll admit, my first production makes me cringe but comparing them to the bangers I make today, I could not only hear the growth, but I also could feel it! Music helped me cope with my Anger Management Issue so I would always lose myself in that in order to stay out of trouble! As I got older, a few songs in, I wanted to turn my hobby in a career, which in 2013, I moved to Atlanta from country southern Alabama and attended the Art Institute Of Atlanta with a concentration in music. I was determined to change the sound of today’s music. Often deterred by the flood of producers in Atlanta, I always found a way into the eyes of greats! Interning at the best studio in Atlanta “Soul Asylum Studios,” I was expanding upon talents, taking up “Engineering” I didn’t wanna just make the beat, I wanted to have my hand in the entire song. Recording some of today’s artists, known and unknown, even as an intern, the opportunity was crazy but I was in the middle of exactly what I moved here to do. After growth in skills there I then met music icon, Neo-Soul Queen, Angie Stone. She assured me that the industry needed music like this and I deserve no less than top dollar for my services so that I’d exactly what I got from that day!
Fast forward to present days, couple industry credits under my wing, I’m just coming off a 2-year hiatus which I ran my other business, Soundzz Transport, which is a trucking company! I figured out quickly that I needed a budget to be able to do Music the way I dreamed so I started learning the trucking business and worked to have enough. Now, that’s a source of Passive income. I can now focus on what I love, Music! I’m so serious about this that 808Hanna is tattooed on my right arm, I know this is real!
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s been alright, the music business taught me that you mean what you say, learn all terms so nothing can be misconstrued! The music game is worst that the streets to me, from the label heads to the fake AnRs, even the get rich quick schemers are in the game, you have to know your business! Be wary of opinions and criticism, you will get a lot of that.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am a Producer, mainly Trap but my catalog has a decent genre variety. I go by the Alias, of 808Hanna, which derives from my favorite production group, “808Mafia” whom of who he’d I’ve worked with, sbd my last “Hanna” which is a very unique name here, which is crazy because everyone calls me by my last name without ever knowing my 1st. “808Hanna is branded even on my vehicles. I am a whole brand, so I treat it as such. I’m proud that I can say that I’m still humble in today’s industry! I feel like my musical choice sets me apart from everyone else, I sometimes feel like I’m doing the same as others but I know my production is very weird and different. Ten years in & my breakout year is near.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, Atlanta is the Mecca for Hip Hop Music, I would not want to do this anywhere else, well maybe LA or Miami. Someone just starting out, yes, but please come with thick skin and ready to stick your neck out! When someone asks for music, you provide, you never know. All millionaires don’t wear suits.
Pricing:
- $50 Lease
- $2000 Exclusive Lease
- $5000 Artist “Tailored” Exclusive
- $20/hr Tracking
- $100 Song Mix w/PreMaster
Contact Info:
- Website: reverbnation.com/808hanna
- Email: 808hannaexclusive@gmail.com
- Instagram: 808Hanna
- Facebook: Marcus A Hanna
- Twitter: 808Hanna
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