Edgar ‘Nabeyin’ Panford is an American born Ghanaian music producer, who stirred up a wave in Ghana after bagging two nominations at the 64th annual Grammys organized by the American National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
The multi-platinum music producer, born to Mr. Ernest Panford and Madam Felicia Ennin, grew up in the North end of San Bernardino, CA. He has been in active production business for over a decade and has had the opportunity to work with great names in Hollywood like; Kanye West, Drake, Miguel among others.
As an online platform seeking to celebrate and throw more light on individuals who are making waves in their various fields of expertise, Penman (PM) engaged Nabeyin Panford (NP) in a dialogue to gain insight on his journey so far.
Dialogue
PM: “Thank you for taking time off your daily hectic schedule to indulge in this conversation.
NP: I appreciate you for reaching out to have this interview. [smiles]
PM: To start with, how was life like growing up in the United States?
NP: Life was interesting growing up in the USA. Especially for the fact that I grew up in a Ghanaian home. I did not realize till I was much older that my lifestyle was quite different from some of my best friends who were black American, Mexican and white. As years went by; specifically from age 13 to 17, my city started to become more dangerous with constant riots between Blacks and Mexicans. By the time I was a senior in high school, the riots began to die down but I was too focused on sports to really care about that stuff anyway. When I came back from my first year of college, that was when all the parties were getting shot up and some people I knew were getting killed.
PM: Wow! Looks like those were completely dangerous times to thrive.
NP: Yes they were!
PM: So tell us, Was Music Production your first love or was there an initial dream you failed to pursue?
NP: My first love was really track and field. I started running shorts sprints when I was nine (9). Somehow, I magically became slow when I got to high school, but I could jump. My jump coaches converted me into a long and triple jumper and by the end of my Sophomore year I was the #1 triple jumper in California. [beams with pride]
I also began taking music seriously around that time so I planned on making a career out of both.
PM: Are you currently signed under a record label or you operate your very own label/ production house?
NP: I’m still a free agent. I do have a lot of people I work with and a part of a couple of groups with some really good friends of mine. Outside of that, I’m not signed to anyone, but I have still been taking meetings with labels and companies for pub deals.
PM: From playing around with the piano in your father’s house to becoming a two time Grammy Nominee; can you elaborate more on your journey between these two periods and the point at which you finally defined the trajectory of your life?
NP: [smiles] When I was younger I just used to mess around on the keyboards at my dad’s house but I never took it serious. It was always just for fun. The defining moment for me knowing that I could make it musically was when my manager called me saying that Dreamville and Maybach Music Group (MMG) chose about 15 of my beats. Well…Nothing came out of that but just the fact that J Cole and Rick Ross’s label even considered wanting to use my beats was all the motivation I needed to know I could do this. The next pivotal moment of my career was when I helped produce “Nothings into somethings” for Drake on his More Life album.
PM: Would you describe your musical journey as “all rainbows and unicorns” or as one characterized by deep “highs and lows?”
NP: I don’t think anyone who has a career in music has had a journey that was all rainbows and unicorns [laughs]. It’s definitely been a lot of highs and lows from the time I first got into the industry until now.
PM: Do you recall a time you gave up on your musical dreams…What spark kept you going?
NP: The first time I gave up was when I couldn’t pass my music theory class. In my mind I just thought that if I couldn’t figure out music theory, I wouldn’t be able to be the producer that I wanted to be. My drive came back after I re-took the music theory class and passed.
PM: Let’s delve into one of your Grammy nominated productions. Kanye West’s ‘Heaven and Hell’ has a deep vibe in the beats which to me brought the lyrics alive… I could describe it as almost spiritual. What inspired the choice of instruments and how long did it take to finish up the masterpiece?
NP: The Idea started in 2017 with Wallis Lane and me. We were actually working on ideas for Drake’s scorpion album at that time and I just felt like doing something that sounded like it could be played in an arena. I believe Boogz Da Beast was working directly with Kanye at the time and he brought the idea to the team and everyone worked on it to make it sound even bigger.
PM: How did you come by your impressive international A-list clientele? Via referrals or your works just spoke for you?
NP: I have a story for every place and event and I can trace it back to the first person I met that helped me get there [laughs]. The short answer to this question is relationships. I’m always in sessions with producers and songwriters and there’s usually a new person in these sessions. That new person sees that play keys and they invite me to one of their sessions with other producers and songwriters, and that’s how my network grew. Also people have reached out to me just based off hearing other records I’ve produced for people. It pretty much goes both ways.
PM: You have achieved milestones most of your predecessors couldn’t. How do you intend to establish your legacy back home in the motherland?
NP: I want to start building more artists in Ghana. I know there’s a lot of talent out there, but I just have to find them and build them. I’m going to change the sound, but the artist will have to be willing to trust me with the sound. That’s the only way this can work.
PM: Your brother, Sir KGee, doubles up as a performing artist and a CEO of his very own label, Just amazing music formerly made Men Music. How would you describe him as an artist?
NP: I never really saw him as a legend just for the fact that he’s my brother [laughs]. It was actually weird going to the studio in London with him and seeing everyone there praising him for his work back in the day. Him as an artist has always been dope but I think he’s really falling in love again with music through writing for other artist and executive producing.
PM: Should we expect the combining forces of your production house, Drive thru Deli and Sir KGee’s Just Amazing music to create a major hip hop talent scout to unearth and project the many raw untapped musical talents in Ghana like Cardi B, T.I and Chance the Rapper did in the states with “Rhythm and Flow?”
NP: That’s a very good question. I don’t think it would be to the extent of having a show, but now that you mention it, this would be way easier to find more talents in Ghana, so maybe we might give it a shot [laughs]. At first Drive Thru Deli was a way for me to bridge the gap between artists in the IE (Inland Empire) and the music industry in LA (Los Angeles). That’s still the plan now but I’m including Ghana in there as well. I want to help talented artists make it so the mission stays the same. However, I’m only working with people with great work ethic. If you have talent, but terrible work ethic, I’m not even going to waste my time with you.
PM: That’s right on the head! [laughs] … Speaking of talents, Black Sherif is the name in Ghanaian music currently making waves globally. Are there plans to fuse the Nabeyin and Blacko brand?
NP: Absolutely. I already have ideas for what kind of records I want to do with him. We just have to make it happen once I get to Ghana.
PM: If all had failed as a producer, what would have been the next option for Nabeyin?
NP: I would probably just stick to film scoring. [smiles faintly]If all had failed in music in general, I’d be doing a lot more in the film industry, either as an editor or a DP.
PM: So many rising artists and producers out there seeking a spot to shine… any word of caution?
NP: Don’t be scammed by anyone trying to offer you label meetings or anything related to the music industry for money. An A&R already gets paid by the label to search for talent and sign them. It’s literally their job so don’t fall for the “send me $200 so we can setup a label meeting” scam. I don’t know how the landscape of the industry is in Ghana but that’s what’s happening out here.
PM: it’s been an honor having you Nabeyin.
NP: Thank you for having me.
What is not to love abt this interview?
He is such a humble principled guy.
Hats off to his parents for raising a hardworking principled gentleman in such a difficult terrain.
Nana, you ask some very intriguing questions, in a way that gets your interviwees warming up to you and speaking heartily.
I enjoyed learning abt him.
[…] added that he was pleasantly surprised by the outcome and loved how the beat turned out.In a conversation with Penman last year, Nabeyin shared that his musical journey started with playful keyboard […]