Monte Booker

Ahmanti Booker (born March 27, 1995), professionally known as Monte Booker is an American producer from Chicago, Illinois. He is part of the musical collective Zero Fatigue, and has worked with artists such as Smino, Ravyn Lenae, Noname, Saba, Mick Jenkins, Sango, Ari Lennox and JID, among others.[1][2]

Monte Booker
Birth nameAhmanti Booker
Born (1995-03-27) March 27, 1995
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Record producer
  • DJ
Instrument(s)
Years active2013–present
LabelsZero Fatigue

Career

Monte Booker grew up in the South Side of Chicago listening to artists such as Outkast, Gucci Mane, Radiohead and Coldplay.[3] He started producing in 2011 with FL Studio incorporating trap music and jazz as well as organic sounds in his music.[4] In 2013, he met St. Louis artists Smino, Jay2 and Bari through studio manager Chris Classick, and joined the collective Zero Fatigue, along with Ravyn Lenae. He also became a member of Soulection Radio and released an EP on October 23, 2015, as part of their White Label series. The song "Kolors" became a viral hit in 2020 from TikTok streams, entering the Spotify's Viral 50 Charts.[5]

Booker went on to produce projects for Zero Fatigue such as blkjuptr, Moon Shoes, Midnight Moonlight, blkswn, Noir, and MSTRGLSS.[6] In 2016, he also worked with Chicago artists Noname, Mick Jenkins, and Saba on the albums Telefone, The Healing Component, and Bucket List Project.

In 2019, Booker was invited to Dreamville's recording sessions for the compilation Revenge of the Dreamers III by J. Cole. He produced three songs on the album, "Late Night", "Spin Move", and "Passcode".[7] In 2020 and 2021, he has worked with other artists including Spillage Village and VanJess.[8] On February 1, 2021, Booker released an instrumental mixtape titled Lil Sounds Tape.[9]

Artistry

Monte Booker has credited producers such as Timbaland, Flying Lotus, The Neptunes, and Kanye West, as his major influences. Speaking about this, he said "what [they were] doing with music kind of inspired me to incorporate my influence to make it my own type of vibe."[10][3] His sound has been described as percussive and organic production with "an eclectic amalgamation of Hip-Hop, R&B, and melody-heavy electronic sounds."[11]

Discography

Extended plays
  • Soulection White Label: 016 (2015)

Instrumental mixtapes
  • Lil Sounds Tape (2021)

Production discography

2014
Smino - Smellin Like a Re-Up - Single
  • 00. "Smellin Like a Re-Up"

2015
Smino - S!Ck S!Ck S!Ck[12]
  • 01. "Ruby Red"
  • 02. "Ballet" (featuring Bari)
  • 03. "Raw"
Ravyn Lenae - Moon Shoes[13]
  • 01. "Venezuela Trains"
  • 03. "Blossom Dearie"
  • 04. "Recess"
  • 05. "Free Room"
  • 06. "Sleep Talking"
  • 08. "Everything Above"
Monte Booker - Soulection White Label: 016
  • 01. "Flight"
  • 02. "Kolors" (featuring Smino)
  • 03. "Homealone"
  • 04. "Baby" (featuring Ravyn Lenae)
Smino - Blkjuptr[14]
  • 01. "Blkjuptr"
  • 02. "Zoom"
  • 03. "Runnin'" (featuring Jay2)
  • 04. "Poppa" (featuring Julian Bell)
  • 05. "Oxygen"
Smino - Ciabatta - Single
  • 00. "Ciabatta"

2016
Smino - Kajun - Single
Ravyn Lenae - Alive - Single
  • 00. "Alive"
Noname - Telefone[15]
  • 02. "Sunny Duet" (with theMIND) (produced with Cam O'bi)
Mick Jenkins - The Healing Component[16]
  • 14. "Angles" (featuring Xavier Omär & Noname) (produced with Cam O'bi & THEMpeople)
Saba - Bucket List Project[17]
  • 12. "California" (featuring Ravyn Lenae & Phoelix) (produced with Phoelix & Daoud)

2017
Ravyn Lenae - Midnight Moonlight[18]
  • 02. "Unknown"
  • 03. "Spice'" (solo or remix with Smino)
  • 04. "Hiatus (Interlude)"
  • 05. "Oxygen"
  • 06. "Sleep Talking"
Sango - De Mim, Pra Você
  • 06. "Bem-Estar"
Smino - Blkswn[19]
  • 01. "Wild Irish Roses"
  • 02. "Maraca"
  • 03. "Glass Flows"
  • 04. "Flea Flicka" (featuring Bari)
  • 05. "Spit Shine"
  • 06. "Netflix & Dusse"
  • 07. "Anita"
  • 08. "Lobby Kall"
  • 09. "Edgar Allen Poe'd Up" (featuring theMIND)
  • 11. "B Role"
  • 12. "Blkoscars" (featuring Jay2)
  • 14. "Long Run" (featuring Via Rosa) (produced with Phoelix)
  • 15. "Innamission"
  • 16. "Silk Pillows" (featuring Akenya) (produced with THEMpeople)
  • 17. "Ricky Millions" (featuring Drea Smith) (produced with J. Bird)
  • 18. "Amphetamine" (featuring Bari, Jean Deaux & Noname) (produced with Phoelix & J.Robb)
Roseangelica - Butta - Single
  • 00. "Butta"
Bari - Protein - Single
  • 00. "Protein"
Hoosier Scott - Shade Spectrum
  • 04. "How Would I?"
Didi Park - Neon Bandages
  • 06. "B&W Movies are Voodoo" (produced with JNTHN STEIN)
  • 08. "Method Acting"
Zero Fatigue - Manegos - Single[20]
  • 00. "Manegos" (featuring Bari, Smino, and Jay2)
Monte Booker - KOMPANY - Single
  • 00. "KOMPANY" (featuring Phoelix & Smino)

2018
Phoelix - TEMPO
  • 14. "Taranphoeno" (featuring Smino and Jean Deaux) (produced with Phoelix)
KYLE - Light of Mine
  • 11. "ShipTrip"
Smino - NØIR[21]
  • 03. "Klink"
  • 05. "Spinz"
  • 06. "Summer Salt" (featuring Bari)
  • 07. "Z4L" (featuring Bari & Jay2)
  • 08. "Merlot"
  • 09. "We Got The Biscuits"
  • 12. "Low Down Derrty Blues"
  • 13. "Fenty Sex" (featuring Dreezy)
  • 14. "Bam 2x"
  • 18. "Verizon" (produced with Da-P)
Bari - The Prefix
  • 01. "Tortas"
  • 02. "Glacier"
  • 03. "Intrigue" (featuring Smino)
Zara Bash - Heaven on Earth
  • 05. "Bad4Me" (featuring Ty Safari)

2019
Bari - MSTRGLSS
  • 01. "Ooze"
  • 04. "Relax"
  • 05. "Ice Cup"
  • 06. "Eya"
  • 08. "Luhbish"
  • 10. "Caress"
  • 11. "Fluid"
  • 12. "Joi"
  • 13. "Stamina"
Ash Jetson - 814CK.HO13
  • 04. "used to."
Monte Booker - Interstellar - Single
  • 00. "Interstellar" (featuring Bari)
Jay2 - 4 Tha Wait
  • 01. "Are You OK?"
  • 02. "Pomegranate"
  • 04. "Dork" (featuring Smino)
  • 05. "Dropped"
  • 07. "Shoppin'"
MFnMelo - What a Life - Single
  • 00. What a Life (featuring Saba)
MFnMelo- Everybody Eats
  • 04. "Flow Seats"
  • 09. "Notice"
  • 10. "What a Life" (featuring Saba)
ICECOLDBISHOP - Creep - Single
  • 00. Creep (featuring Mick Jenkins) (produced with Naz)
Smino - High 4 Da Highladays
  • 01. "Sleigh" (featuring Monte Booker & Masego) (produced with Masego)

2020
Dreamville - Revenge of the Dreamers III: Director's Cut[22]
Ravyn Lenae - Insecure: Music From The HBO Original Series, Season 4
  • 09. "Rewind" (produced with Phoelix)
Hansel Mac - Limbo
  • 01. "Mario" (featuring Saiki Music & Zagor)
Smino - Madden NFL 21[23]
  • 14. "Backstage Pass" (with Monte Booker and The Drums)
Spillage Village - Spilligion[24]
  • 06. "Judas" (with JID featuring Ari Lennox, Buddy, Chance the Rapper and Masego) (additional production from Mesita)
Femdot - Buy One, Get One Free Vol. 1
  • 01. "Lifetime" (featuring Saba)
Bari - Fuck It... Burn It All Down
  • 13. "One Night"
  • 15. "Heart Is Valuable"
Plvto - Hangout 4
  • 04. "Apple"
  • 06. "Hues"
Florence The Infinite - This Ain't That
  • 00. "This Ain't That" (featuring Bunge)
Lord Red - Tired
  • 00. "Tired"

2021
Monte Booker - Lil Sounds Tape
  • 01. "Maple"
  • 02. "Stay"
  • 03. "Feels Good"
  • 04. "Astro"
  • 05. "Shordie"
  • 06. "I Been Rollin" (produced with Phoelix)
  • 07. "Transition"
  • 08. "I Luv U All"
  • 09. "FM"
VanJess - Homegrown[25]
  • 03. "Roses" (produced with Da-P)
Jay2 - Send Heartss
  • 02. "As Cold As It Gets"
Symphani Soto - Energy - Single
  • 00. "Energy"
reggie - Ain't Gon Stop Me - Single[26]
Felly - Everybody Loves You - Single
Vince Staples - Vince Staples
  • 05. "Taking Trips" (produced with Kenny Beats)
Pink Siifu - Gumbo'!
  • 15. "Voicemails Uptown" (featuring Monte Booker, Turich Benjy, Lance Skiiiwalker, JayBee Lamahj, VCR & Nelson Bandela)
Shane Eagle - Skydream - Single
  • 00. "Skydream"
Maxo Kream - Weight of the World
  • 07. "Don't Play With Shawty Ass" (produced with Naz)
  • 11. "Whole Lotta" (produced with Teej)
  • 16. "Believe" (featuring Don Toliver) (produced with Smino)
Mick Jenkins - Elephant In the Room
  • 09. "Truffles" (produced with Renzell)

2022
Saba - Few Good Things
  • 08. "A Simpler Time" (featuring Mereba) (produced with Daoud & Jacob Rochester)
JayBaby TheGreaty - Orange Belt
  • 07. "2 Fired Up"
Ravyn Lenae - Hypnos
  • 02. "Venom"
  • 08. "Higher"
  • 09. "3D" (featuring Smino) (produced with Phoelix)
  • 10. "Satellites" (produced with Luke Titus & Steve Lacy)
  • 11. "Lullabye"
JID - The Forever Story
Pandi - #Batposting
  • 01. “Precious”
Mavi - Laughing So Hard It Hurts
  • 03. “Baking Soda” (produced with Amarahbeats)
  • 12. “Trip” (featuring Amindi) (produced with AmarahBeats)
Smino - Luv 4 Rent
  • 01. “4rm Da Source”
  • 02. “No L’s” (produced with Karl Banx)
  • 03. “90 Proof” (featuring J. Cole) (produced with Groove)
  • 04. “Pro Freak” (featuring Doechii & Fatman Scoop) (produced with Childish Major, Phoelix, DJ Dahi & Nami)
  • 05. "Ole Ass Kendrick" (produced with prodxvzn)
  • 06. “Louphoria” (featuring Cruza) (produced with Adam Sylvester, AJ Thomas & AmarahBeats)
  • 07. “Blu Billy”
  • 09. “Modennaminute” (featuring Lucky Daye & Phoelix) (produced with Phoelix)
  • 11. “Garden Lady” (produced with Smino, Sucuki & Phoelix)
  • 12. “Settle Down” (featuring Cory Henry & Ravyn Lenae) (produced with Charlie Myles)
  • 14. “Curtains” (produced with Cory Henry)

Tours
Headlining
  • European Tour (with Smino) (2016)
  • Europe Tour (2017)
  • Kouple Drillz Tour (with Smino) (2018)
  • North America Tour (with Soulection) (2018)
Supporting
  • ITCO Tour (with Sango) (2018)

References
  1. Terry, Josh. "Interview: How St. Louis rapper Smino found his path in Chicago". Chicago Tribune.
  2. Mahadevan, Tara. "Chicago's Zero Fatigue Collective Comes to St. Louis for the Biggest Vibes Showcase Yet". River Front Times.
  3. Brinkley, Vanice (4 January 2019). "Monte Booker's Hip-Hop & Soul Productions Are Based in Found Sound". Bandcamp.
  4. Drake, David. "Zero Fatigue: Chicago's Next Hip-Hop Visionaries". Pitchfork.
  5. "Monte Booker's 2015 Smino Collaboration "Kolors" Is Experiencing A TikTok-Fueled Resurgence". Genius.
  6. "Zero Fatigue: Chicago's Next Hip-Hop Visionaries". Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 December 2018.
  7. Chesman, Donna-Claire. "Monte Booker Only Loves Music—Fame Is Second". DJBooth.
  8. "Spillage Village Returns With Their Fourth Compilation Album 'Spilligion'". OkayPlayer. 25 September 2020.
  9. Miller, Austin (2 February 2021). "Monte Booker Lays Down Masterful Beats On New Mixtape, 'lil sounds tape'". This Song is Sick.
  10. "Why Monte Booker matters: A look into the future of Chicago's sound". Kulture Hub. 17 September 2017.
  11. ""Not no Fame Shit, None of That": An Interview with Smino & Monte". PassionWeiss. 13 September 2016.
  12. "Premiere: Listen to Smino's 'S!CK S!CK S!CK' EP". Complex.
  13. "EP: RAVYN LENAE - MOON SHOES". The Le Sigh.
  14. Galil, Leor (16 December 2015). "Smino is one of the best up-and-coming rappers in Chicago's underground scene". Chicago Reader.
  15. "The Making of Noname's 'Telefone'". Complex.
  16. Lilah, Rose (August 26, 2016). "Mick Jenkins Reveals Tracklist For "The Healing Component"". Hotnewhiphop.com.
  17. "Saba – Bucket List Project". Consequence of Sound. 28 October 2016.
  18. "Ravyn Lenae: Midnight Moonlight EP Album Review". Pitchfork.
  19. Tanzer, Myles (March 8, 2017). "Smino Announces Debut Album 'blkswn'". The Fader.
  20. "Zero Fatigue Releases Posse Track "Manegos" Following 'Swanita' Tour". Vibe. 6 June 2017.
  21. "Smino Announces "NØIR" Tracklist Featuring Bari, Jay2, Valee & More". HotNewHipHop. 7 November 2018.
  22. "Dreamville Unveil 'Revenge of the Dreamers III: Director's Cut': Stream It Now". Billboard. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  23. "Backstage Pass - Single by Smino, Monte Booker & The Drums on Apple Music". 14 August 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  24. "Spillage Village drop new album, Spilligion". The Fader.
  25. "VanJess Perfected Their Own R&B Sound on the 'Homegrown' EP". OkayPlayer. 5 February 2021.
  26. "reggie Drops New Song "Ain't Gon Stop Me": Stream". Consequence of Sound. 17 March 2021.
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