A3C Hip Hop Festival Blog

Producer Zaytoven's got the rap game on lock one beat at a time

Written by Johnell Gipson | Sep 9

Arguably the most iconic Trap producer to come out of Atlanta, Zaytoven has been a centerpiece of Southern Hip-Hop for over ten years. Gifting our ears with soulful, melodic instrumentals since the mid 2000s, Zaytoven’s accolades have finally caught up to his work ethic. A3C Festival & Conference is proud to announce that Zaytoven has been added to its official lineup, appearing at the Zaytoven x Digital Dope event on Thursday, October 6th. The event will kickoff at 10:00 PM at Cafe Circa, an eclectic bar and brunch venue located on Edgewood Avenue.


Zaytoven was born in Germany, but was raised in San Francisco California before moving to Atlanta, Georgia. Zaytoven’s career gained steam as he linked up with Gucci Mane to produce a number of his records, including the breakout hit “Icy”. Known for his heavy use of the keyboards and organ, Zaytoven is a self-taught instrumentalist that also knows how to play the guitar and drums. Zaytoven is so versed with the organ that he even plays it at his church every Sunday.


As his career blossomed, Zaytoven began to work with other artists in Hip-Hop, including OJ Da Juiceman, the Migos and Future. He is currently working with the younger generation of rap artists as well, including Young Thug, Chief Keef, Soulja Boy and Lil Uzi Vert. Zaytoven has produced a number of hit records for these artists, but is also an underrated songwriter and artist. Zaytoven’s most distinguishable quality in his production style is without a doubt his ability to produce soulful melodies, primarily constructed through the organ and keyboards. This style can be seen on full display in Future’s critically acclaimed mixtape, Beast Mode, which features a range of sounds all produced by Zaytoven. Zaytoven continues to keep his ear to the streets, and is reportedly in talks with Future about producing BeastMode2, as well as a range of other projects with several undisclosed artists. Zaytoven has no reservations about working with both established and up-and-coming artists, as he has a distinct ear for talent.


While Zaytoven has a long history of producing street classics, he has dabbled in the commercial lane as well, earning a Grammy for his participation in the production of Usher’s highly successful Raymond vs. Raymond album. The single “Papers” he produced went on to top the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart, and the album itself went on to sell over a million copies. He has also written a book, From A To Zay, an instructional guide for music producers. He also teaches a number of producer camps nationwide, where young artists can learn successful habits for making music.


As Zaytoven prepares to bring his talents to A3C Festival & Conference, the anticipation continues to build for the biggest Hip-Hop festival in the country. Producers of every kind are invited to attend the event and soak up game from this legendary musician and artist. Follow @a3c on social media to stay up to date on any developments in the next month.