MURDA BEATZ: FROM SMALL-TOWN CANADA TO THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

Shane Lee Lindstrom, better known as Murda Beatz, might have grown up in small-town Ontario, but that didn’t stop his meteoric rise in the music scene

- JOSH WALKER

Raised in Fort Erie, Ont., a small town that sits on the Niagara River, Murda Beatz was always familiar with the power of music. Growing up, he was surrounded by his dad’s taste in classic rock and taught himself how to play the drums at an early age. Soon, he’d created his first beat, knew it was what he was destined to do and took the first step to making his ambitions a reality.

Fast forward to 2020, and Murda is an internationally renowned music producer, songwriter, DJ and beat-maker who’s collaborated with the likes of Drake, PARTYNEXTDOOR and Nicki Minaj. Though his talent is highly sought after today, his beginnings were rather humble. “I was selling beats on the Internet for $50, $150, $250,” Murda says. “I’d go to Western Union and pick up the money.”

It was a time when Murda was just getting into producing records and doing mixtapes, but also a turning point in the industry, because streaming was changing the game. “Everyone was saying that music wasn’t a good career choice, because it was hard to make money as a producer,” he explains. “[Streaming] changed everything. Streaming builds up the numbers; it makes everything more accessible. And you can make money as a producer.”