When I was coming up as an artist, I was talking to Derek Wise, he’s one half of 88Glam, like DM’s and stuff. And, he just hit me one day and said, “Cash wants your number.” When that happened I was kind of like, shocked because I never really thought of XO as an option, because they didn’t really sign anybody at the time. The Weeknd literally never signed nobody until he signed me.
A part of one of the most successful labels to ever come out from our border Natives of Canada, and having major co-signs from the biggest names in hip-hop, like Drake, The Weeknd, and more, Nav shares that while the OVO sound is as distinctive as it is for its creators, he believes what makes his sound so successful is that he continues to be himself. Nav tells Nick, “My songs are more like melody-driven, when it comes to like, the beats and production. And, then my monotone ass voice!”
Although it took the OVO member some time to adjust to stardom, after coming up leading a “normal lifestyle, Nav shares how he deals with the pros and cons of being a public figure. “I’m cool with it now. It took a while to adjust because my life was, so, like, one-way until I was 25 years-old,” says the “Tap” producer. “And, I thought there was no shot of me doing anything like this. It took me like three years to tune in. And here I am now, chilling. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Nav continues his reflection about fame with saying, “the worst part is when you want to just go by yourself to Target or something or the gas station with your hoodie on, you know what I mean?”
A few years back, before the beef had finally ceased between Meek and Drake, there was a beat that Nav created which eventually turned into the Meek diss track “Back 2 Back”. While Nav never knew the actual track would become one of the most talked about songs from the Drake and Mill-centered beef, Nav shares how being around Meek took some getting used to.
I was just around him early days in my career. I would hang out with him, and it’s funny, I had produced “Back 2 Back”, and I don’t knew if you knew that; It was kind of like, for me, I would be chilling with him, yeah, we’re cool and everything, but does he know that I made that beat?
Nav goes on to discuss his current track “Tap”, talks his recording process with new artists versus his friends, gets into a revealing Fire Squad where the Toronto native says some things you might have not known about him.
Peep the full interview below!
