Hey Y’all!
My magical and fabulous Safari Pedals road trip has been a blast! This week, I’m excited to share the scoop on my Atlanta portion of the trip and what I learned while filming the new Safari Pedals video series, “Abi On The Road”.
This has been the highlight of my trip so far (no offense to my hometown, New York! hehe). It's been incredibly vibe-ullar to dive into the music scene, chat with awesome producers and engineers, and experience the Mecca of Hip Hop firsthand.
Exploring Stankonia Studios
My first musical stop was the legendary Stankonia Studios, where artists like Outkast, T.I., and Ludacris have recorded. I fangirled quite a bit, not gonna lie! There, I filmed an "Abi On The Road" series video with Grammy Award-winning engineer, artist, and studio manager Renegade El Rey (Killer Mike, Future, Big Boi). The highlight of our chat for me was learning about his approach to recording. He considers himself a minimalist, focusing on capturing a strong, well-recorded source so he can make subtle adjustments in the box with minimal plugins—not relying on elaborate chains to fix things. My chat with Renegade really reinforced the importance of choosing the right gear for the song (mics, preamps, etc.) and to allot extra time to getting the initial recording right.
The Bounce of Atlanta's Sound
After that, with my trusty producer friend and Atlanta tour guide, King Muzik (Producer, Content Creator, Founder of Georgia Muscle Music), we set out on a wild Safari Pedals Atlanta studio run. Our goal was to chat with different producers and engineers and get the scoop on how being based in Atlanta influences their sound and aesthetic. Our first stop was Big C’s (Rapper, Producer) studio. To him, a large part of the Atlanta sound and influence is the "bounce" of the drums, creating a groove that makes you bob your head and swing a certain way. After our chat, Big C played some productions he has been working on and the “bounce” indeed was there and slayed!! I noted that the relationship between the drums and 808 were a huge part of the groove and “bounce” as well.
A Visit to Parhelion Studios
We then drove over to Parhelion Studios to chat with Grammy Award-winning engineer Ralph Cacciurri (Outkast, Ludacris, Ciara). It was an absolute blast! I'll start by admitting that I may or may not have slightly drooled over the analog gear—allegedly, of course! I must also note that the studio has a jellyfish-shaped lamp—HOW COOL IS THAT!?
During our chat, I asked Ralph about being part of the Atlanta music scene. He shared that the community is connected and tight-knit: everyone knows everyone, studios exchange sessions, and it’s just a fantastic place to be. I definitely got that vibe during my time there. I really appreciated the sense of camaraderie and collaboration in Atlanta. It’s a unique environment and my biggest takeaway is that I need to spend more time there!
The Heart of Atlanta's Music Scene
Our final stop was at Juice's home studio. He's been a producer in Atlanta for a few decades. We sat on the stoop of the house with a bunch of producers, artists, and managers who were there recording and hanging out. I asked them about being part of the Atlanta scene. They said it's a city that sets musical trends, dresses the best, sounds the best, and where you can truly be yourself and do your thing. Juice added that it's been moving to see so many great artists emerge from Atlanta over the decades, from Outkast to Young Thug, and how the sonics and scene have evolved over time.
Loving the Atlanta Music Scene
The biggest takeaway from the Atlanta portion of my trip was seeing how much the producers, engineers, and artists love being based in the city. They are incredibly proud to represent Atlanta, its sound, and its music scene. It’s been so fun to get the inside scoop, and I definitely plan on going back soon!