Clayco Interview: Destroy Lonely's go-to Producer, Underworld Online, Opium, Love Lasts Forever

In this interview, Arshan sat down for a rare conversation with Clayco in Atlanta to discuss his legendary run producing and building Destroy Lonely’s sound from the beginning to ‘LOVE LASTS FOREVER’ and also revealing the stories behind the music and building a business around his producer collective underworldonline that he co-founded. Despite keeping a pretty lowkey presence online, Clayco has built a name for himself, along with a prolific catalog of music which includes era-defining tracks like “Miley Cyrus”, “Dover Street Market”, “if looks could kill” and many more.

In their conversation, Clayco explained why he hasn’t done interviews, how he got his name, growing up in Clayton County near Atlanta, being a gamer & PS2 being the best gaming console, photography being his first passion, growing up a singer, his parents playing Nas, Kanye, & Michael Jackson in the crib, being a band kid: playing the trombone, struggling to get placements early on, working with Duwap Kaine in high school, producing most of Destroy Lonely’s discography, bbecoming friends with Lone on IG Live, “dream about me.” being his first placement, him & Destroy Lonely’s creative process, “safety - interlude” being the most slept on Lone track, the favorite songs he’s produced, “if looks could kill” going mainstream & Drake co-sign, crafting a different sound on Lone’s ‘LOVE LASTS FOREVER’, co-founding producer collective underworldonline: Texacocam, Velveteen, etc, the importance of building a team & not working solo, his Mount Rushmore of producers: Southside, Metro Boomin, Ye, Timbaland, his opinion on new waves of music: Jerk, 2hollis, placements with other Opium members, Future, & Young Thug, dropping out of college to be a full-time producer & creative, his advice on building with an artist vs. chasing a big placement, having fun & being consistent being the key to breaking through, overcoming producer & creative burnout.

Host @ktoarshan
Producers @ktoarshan @jack.kissane
Filming @Jelanimiller @Habibtelly
Editing @Mikkyfilmz
Special help @jack.kissane @antoniojohri

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - Why Clayco doesn’t do interviews

1:35 - How Clayco got his name

2:30 - Growing up in Clayton County near Atlanta

3:12 - Being a gamer: Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Soul Calibur

4:19 - PS2 being the best gaming console

5:05 - Photography being his first passion

5:20 - Growing up a singer?

5:49 - Parents playing Nas, Kanye, & Michael Jackson in the crib

6:37 - Being a band kid: playing the trombone

7:24 - Struggling to get placements early on

7:55 - Working with Duwap Kaine in high school

8:30 - Producing most of Destroy Lonely’s discography

9:57 - Lone & Clayco becoming friends on IG Live

11:30 - “dream about me.” with Lone being Clayco’s first placement

13:15 - Clayco & Destroy Lonely’s creative process

14:54 - “safety - interlude” being the most slept on Lone track

15:44 - Clayco’s favorite songs he’s produced

16:36 - “if looks could kill” going mainstream & Drake co-sign

17:52 - Crafting a different sound on Lone’s ‘LOVE LASTS FOREVER’

18:57 - Co-founding producer collective underworldonline: Texacocam, Velveteen, etc

20:47 - The importance of building a team & not working solo

21:23 - Mount Rushmore of producers: Southside, Metro Boomin, Ye, Timbaland

22:00 - Opinion on new waves of music: Jerk, 2hollis

23:15 - Placements with other Opium members, Future, & Young Thug?

25:04 - Dropping out of college to be a full-time producer & creative

26:15 - Advice on building with an artist vs. chasing a big placement

27:10 - Having fun & being consistent being the key to breaking through

28:01 - Overcoming producer & creative burnout

Tags (ignore):

destroy lonely destroy lonely clayco clayco producer producer opium opium playboi carti playboi carti future future young thug young thug atlanta atlanta duwap kaine duwap kaine type beat type beat metro boomin metro boomin southside southside 2hollis 2hollis jerk jerk kanye kanye