Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Williams.
Hi Brian, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I originally started my career as a DJ while I was in college, trying to figure out my direction in life. During that time, I was exposed to music technology, and once I got a small taste of it, I was completely hooked. What started as curiosity quickly turned into obsession.
I hustled together whatever money I could to buy my first DJ setup—two turntables, a mixer, a laptop, and Serato DJ software. From there, the sky was the limit. I began DJing and cutting in my bedroom, spending countless hours honing my skills. Once I gained confidence, I graduated to house parties, then events, and eventually nightclubs.
While DJing gave me my first real footing in the music world, I knew it wasn’t the end goal. I wanted a deeper understanding of music, technology, and the entertainment industry as a whole. I began researching other creative avenues and discovered music production.
That’s when I started making beats—sampling, arranging, and learning the building blocks of songwriting. But something was missing. I wasn’t a songwriter yet. To fill that gap, I invited friends who were artists into the studio, encouraging them to write and record over my tracks. Through this process, I naturally stepped into artist management, helping creatives who had talent but little understanding of the business side of music.
As I went deeper, I realized that making records meant more than just creativity—it required structure. I had to learn how to handle song splits, collaboration agreements, and royalty statements. At the same time, I taught myself how to engineer vocals because I wanted every record to meet a professional standard.
My path had evolved from DJ to producer to engineer—but songwriting was still the missing piece. Collaborating with writers meant working on their schedules, which often slowed the creative process. A mentor eventually encouraged me to try songwriting myself. At first, I resisted. I saw myself strictly as a producer and engineer, not a writer. I believed there was a clear divide between beat makers and songwriters.
That belief changed after I wrote my first song—which was terrible, by the way. But something unexpected happened: I enjoyed the process. Songwriting became the turning point that changed my life and my career.
Once I embraced songwriting, all the pieces finally came together. I could create complete productions independently—from writing and producing to engineering and performing. That evolution transformed me from a DJ into a fully realized artist.
I began writing my own records, producing full albums, directing my own music videos, and performing live both as a DJ and as an artist. Along the way, I established my record label as an independent artist and experienced the creative freedom that comes with true ownership.
Today, I am an award-winning producer, songwriter, artist, engineer, and filmmaker. I continue to practice and refine my craft every single day, and I consider this journey—one rooted in curiosity, persistence, and self-education—to be one of the greatest opportunities of my life.
This is how I started. This is where I am today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Has my journey been smooth? No, not at all.
One of the biggest challenges was learning how to actually operate within the music industry as a business. Like many creatives, my original dream was simple: make great content, take it to a record label, and get signed. Once I realized that path wasn’t realistic—or guaranteed—I faced a steep learning curve figuring out how the industry works as an independent artist.
Early on, I didn’t understand business structure, contracts, or how to protect myself financially. That led to getting burned more than once. People would approach me wanting to collaborate, promising payment “later” once they made it big. In reality, most of them never did. I eventually realized that for the vast majority of people I encountered, those promises weren’t rooted in real plans, connections, or work ethic.
I experienced this even back in my DJ days. Promoters would promise to pay me from the door once the party was “rocking,” only for no one to show up and for them to disappear halfway through the night. Meanwhile, I was stuck with my equipment and no leverage. Those moments taught me some hard but necessary lessons.
The biggest lesson was learning how to secure my funds and protect my work. I had to understand deal structures, put agreements in writing, and learn when to walk away. The industry is full of sharks—people who want a percentage of your song or your work without offering real compensation upfront, only vague promises tied to big names or companies. Many artists take those deals hoping for exposure, but often nothing comes from them.
What made the journey difficult wasn’t just the creative side—it was ensuring the business was handled properly. If you don’t understand contracts, splits, or ownership, it’s easy to lose control of your work. And if someone across the table knows more business than you do, you can get taken advantage of quickly.
My path hasn’t been smooth because I’ve had to learn these lessons the hard way. There are countless obstacles and life lessons along the way, especially around business, relationships, and protecting your value. I could talk about them for days—but at the core, the struggle has always been about making sure the business is right so the art can survive.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What do I do? At my core, I’m a music production specialist.
My work spans songwriting, music production, and sound engineering—bringing all of those elements together into complete, polished productions. I create original music for a wide range of formats, including scores, documentaries, music videos, jingles, commercials, and custom compositions for creative projects. I’ve collaborated with artists, filmmakers, and brands across the U.S. and internationally, including projects connected to Hong Kong and Africa.
Much of my work comes through Fiverr, where I’m a Top Rated & Pro Rated Seller. The platform allows clients to see my portfolio and understand the full range of music solutions I provide—from concept to final delivery. What people often come to me for is not just a track, but a complete production solution tailored to their project.
What I’m most proud of is my latest project, a documentary film titled The Hip-Hop Composer: From DJ to Super Producer. The film chronicles my creative journey and serves as both a documentary and a professional reel, showcasing what I can offer filmmakers, artists, and creative teams—whether that’s scoring, dialogue editing, custom music creation, or live performance production.
The documentary was mixed in 5.1 surround sound, giving it a true theatrical audio experience, which I’m especially proud of. It’s currently being prepared for a film festival run, and it’s best experienced through headphones or a high-quality sound system so the sound design and music can really be felt.
What sets me apart from others isn’t competition—I’m not focused on chasing what anyone else is doing. I’m focused on being better than my last project. I believe creativity is subjective, and my growth comes from constant self-improvement.
If I had to name one defining strength, it would be my ability to communicate and problem-solve. I work closely with clients—many of whom aren’t musicians—to deeply understand their vision and translate it into sound. My goal is always to make the process clear, collaborative, and stress-free, while delivering a final product we’re both proud of.
I aim to be someone people can rely on to solve musical problems for their projects. I love this work, I’m deeply passionate about it, and that excitement shows in everything I create.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Finding a mentor is tough. A lot of things have to align for that relationship to really work. First, a mentor has to genuinely have the time, energy, and willingness to pour into someone—and not everyone does. I was fortunate enough to find my mentor by being in the right place at the right time. In many ways, it came down to luck.
Because of that, I don’t believe there’s a guaranteed formula for finding a mentor. It’s not as simple as identifying someone who’s “in the game.” You have to be careful. Someone may look successful on the surface, but their business practices, reputation, or values may not align with yours. My biggest advice when it comes to mentorship is to choose carefully and choose wisely. Pay attention to how people operate, not just how they present themselves.
Networking, on the other hand, is something you can actively work on and improve.
Successful networking requires being a genuine people person—someone who can comfortably hold conversations with anyone, whether that’s an executive, a creative, or someone working behind the scenes. Treating everyone with respect and authenticity goes a long way.
One of the best decisions I made for my own growth was joining Toastmasters. I’m a district public speaking champion, and that experience helped me tremendously. Toastmasters teaches practical communication skills through exercises like prepared speeches, impromptu speaking, and leadership training. Those skills translate directly into real-world networking situations.
If you want to get better at networking, my advice is to get reps in. Join a communications organization like Toastmasters, learn how to express your ideas clearly, and become comfortable speaking in front of new people. Confidence, clarity, and strong communication open doors.
For me, mentorship came down to timing and luck—but networking improved once I learned how to communicate effectively. Those two things together made a real difference in my career.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://djkodered.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djkodered/
- Fiverr: https://www.fiverr.com/djkodered
- Other: https://filmfreeway.com/TheHipHopComposerFromDjToSuperProducer
