zaytoven
{{Short description|American record producer (born 1980)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{BLP sources|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image = Zaytoven at SXSW 2025 01.jpg
| caption = Zaytoven in 2025
| birth_name = Xavier Lamar Dotson
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|01|12}}
| birth_place = Frankfurt, West Germany
| occupation = {{hlist|Record producer|DJ|keyboardist|songwriter}}
| years_active = 1997–present
| website = {{URL|zaytovenbeatz.com}}
| origin = {{ubl|San Francisco, California, U.S.|Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.}}
| genre = {{hlist|Southern hip hop|trap|Christian hip hop|gospel}}
| instrument = {{hlist|Akai MPC|keyboards}}
| label = {{hlist|Zaytown|1017|Familiar Territory|Motown|ONErpm}}
}}
Xavier Lamar Dotson (born January 12, 1980), known professionally as Zaytoven, is an American record producer from Atlanta, Georgia.{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/Zaytoven|title=Zaytoven|website=Discogs.com|access-date=July 1, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/397908461|title=Sofia Pacheco (397908461) on Myspace|access-date=July 1, 2016}}{{cite web|last1=Bell|first1=Max|title=Symphony in Trap Major: The Uninterrupted Output of Atlanta's Zaytoven|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2015/01/zaytoven-interview-profile|website=Complex|access-date=February 24, 2017}}{{Primary source inline|date=March 2020}} He has released collaborative projects with artists including Gucci Mane, Usher, Future, Young Dolph, Migos, Lecrae, Lil Yachty, Chief Keef, Young Scooter, B.o.B, Boosie Badazz, Waka Flocka Flame, 21 Savage, Deitrick Haddon and La Fève.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/lil-uzi-vert-goes-in-over-a-zaytoven-banger-on-alot-new-song.1975888.html|title=Lil Uzi Vert Goes in Over A Zaytoven Banger On "Alot"|work=HotNewHipHop|access-date=October 13, 2017}}
Zaytoven signed with Gucci Mane's 1017 Records as an in-house producer after producing the latter's 2005 single "Icy". He was credited on Usher's 2009 single "Papers", which peaked within the Billboard Hot 100's top 40.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/usher-opens-up-about-divorce-with-new-song-papers-20091006|title=Usher Opens Up About Divorce With New Song "Papers"|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=November 2, 2017}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1634851/usher-says-papers-was-recorded-before-his-marriage-ended/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121125831/http://www.mtv.com/news/1634851/usher-says-papers-was-recorded-before-his-marriage-ended/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 21, 2015|title=Usher Says 'Papers' Was Recorded Before His Marriage Ended|publisher=MTV News|access-date=November 2, 2017}}
Early life
Dotson spent a lot of time at church growing up, as his father was a preacher when not working for the army.{{cite web|last1=Bell|first1=Max|title=Symphony in Trap Major: The Uninterrupted Output of Atlanta's Zaytoven|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2015/01/zaytoven-interview-profile|website=Complex|publisher=Complex Media, Inc|access-date=February 14, 2018|ref=2}} He learned to play instruments through the church bands along with his three younger siblings. He gravitated toward playing the piano and organ.{{cite web|last1=G|first1=Nicky|title=Zaytoven Breaks Down ATL History From His Lens + How it All Started For Him|url=http://swaysuniverse.com/zaytoven-breaks-downs-atl-history-from-his-lens-how-it-all-started-for-him/|website=Swaysuniverse|publisher=Sway's Universe|access-date=February 14, 2018|ref=3}}
Dotson was introduced to rap in middle school by a friend. He learned to produce music while attending high school in his spare time between school and basketball, Dotson played the keyboard during halftime at his high school football games. While he was performing one day at the game, he met rapper JT the Bigga Figga who liked what he heard, and invited Dotson to his studio, where Dotson had unlimited access to his keyboards. He truly began to utilize his skills as a producer while making beats in JT's studio before he started making a name for himself in Atlanta.
Career
=Career beginnings=
Zaytoven started going over to JT the Bigga Figga's studio every day to make beats and learn how to use the equipment. He began to sell beats to JT and went on to collaborate with Bay Area artists such as Messy Marv and E-40 while still in high school. During his senior year in high school, Zaytoven's family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, due to his father's retirement. Zaytoven decided to stay in San Francisco, California, finish his senior year, and continue his producing for local rappers. He realized that he needed a studio of his own where he could produce with his own equipment and work at any time of the day.{{cite web|last1=Zeichner|first1=Naomi|title=Beat Construction: Zaytoven|url=http://www.thefader.com/2013/07/31/beat-construction-zaytoven|website=The Fader|publisher=The Fader, Inc|access-date=February 14, 2018|ref=4}}
Having saved up money from his day job as a barber, Zaytoven began to buy equipment for producing. He would ship this to his parents' house in Atlanta, to which he eventually moved, and set up his own studio there. He enrolled in a local barber college in Atlanta and got a job as a barber to help finance the rest of his studio. While attending barber school, a classmate of his introduced Zaytoven to Gucci Mane, who would become his right-hand man in his career as a producer. Zaytoven and Gucci Mane began to work together every day after meeting each other. Zaytoven said in an interview with Fader that Gucci Mane would call him at 7 a.m. asking if he was ready to start making music for that day. Zaytoven and Gucci Mane spent the majority of the early 2000s making music together and selling mixtapes out of the trunks of their cars in Atlanta. It wasn't until 2005 that the two gained mainstream recognition from their hit song "Icy", with features from Young Jeezy and Boo. This recognition gave Zaytoven's career the boost it needed to take off, landing the hit song "Papers" with Usher in 2010 on Usher's certified platinum album Raymond v. Raymond.{{cite news|last1=Digital Mix Agency|title=Biography|url=https://www.zaytovenbeatz.com/biography/|newspaper=Zaytoven Beatz|publisher=Digital Mix Agency|access-date=February 14, 2018|ref=1|date=September 22, 2017}}
=Rise to fame=
Zaytoven's work on Usher's album Raymond v. Raymond earned him a Grammy Award in 2011 and a serious reputation in the hip-hop world. He started to work with more artists as his popularity grew in the Atlanta rap scene. He helped shaped the careers of artists such as OJ da Juiceman, Yung L.A., Yung Ralph, Shop Boyz, Lil Scrappy, Jagged Edge, and Gorilla Zoe.
Zaytoven collaborated with hip hop trio Migos. He produced several tracks on their 2013 mixtape, Y.R.N. (Young Rich Niggas), including the hit track "Versace", which peaked at 53 on the Billboard chart. Zaytoven's collaboration with Migos continued; he helped produce their followup mixtape No Label 2, released on February 25, 2014.{{cite web|last1=Martin|first1=Liam|title=Zaytoven|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/zaytoven-mn0001502610|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=February 16, 2018|ref=6}}
In 2015, Zaytoven provided exclusive production for ten mixtapes, including Future's Beast Mode, released on January 15. He also worked on Future's album DS2, which debuted on July 17.{{cite web|last1=Schwartz|first1=Danny|title=Behind the Beat: Zaytoven|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/behind-the-beat-zaytoven-news.22409.html|website=HotNewHipHop.com|date=June 22, 2016 |access-date=February 14, 2018}}
In July 2016, Zaytoven produced or co-produced seven songs on Gucci Mane's first album since being released from prison, Everybody Looking. In the same month, Lil Uzi Vert's The Perfect LUV Tape was released, containing the Zaytoven-produced songs "Money Mitch" and "SideLine Watching (Hold Up)". In 2017, Zaytoven contributed to projects such as Gucci Mane's Mr. Davis, 21 Savage's Issa Album, Migos' Culture, Moneybagg Yo's Heartless, and Yo Gotti's I Still Am. Zaytoven also released two independent projects, Wake Up & Cook Up and Where Would the Game Be Without Me.
Zaytoven was scheduled to release his debut album Trap Holizay on May 25, 2018,{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8457433/zaytoven-trap-holizay-features|title=Zaytoven Unveils Star-Studded Lineup for New Album 'Trap Holizay'|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 24, 2018}} and a collaborative album with Lecrae titled Let the Trap Say Amen on June 22, 2018.{{Cite web|url=http://rapzilla.com/2018-05-lecrae-let-trap-say-amen-release-date/|title=Lecrae Announces Let the Trap Say Amen with Zaytoven|website=rapzilla.com|access-date=May 24, 2018|date=May 24, 2018}}
=Acting career=
Zaytoven made his acting debut in the 2012 film Birds of a Feather, co-starring with Gucci Mane. The sequel Birds of a Feather 2 was released in 2018.
= Tracklib =
In 2018, Zaytoven joined the Creators Advisory Board of Tracklib.{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicconnection.com/zaytoven-joins-tracklib-creators-advisory-board/|title=Grammy-Winning Producer Zaytoven Joins Tracklib Creators Advisory Board|date=October 5, 2018|website=Music Connection Magazine|access-date=September 5, 2019}}
Discography
{{Main|Category:Albums produced by Zaytoven|Category:Song recordings produced by Zaytoven}}
=Collaborative albums=
= Compilation albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ !Title !Album details |
| scope="row"| Zaytoven Presents: Fo15{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/zaytoven-presents-fo15/1562239986|title=Zaytoven & Fo15 - Zaytoven Presents: Fo15 |publisher=Itunes.apple.com. |access-date=2021-04-23}} {{Small|(with Fo15)}} |
|
|---|
= Extended plays =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ !Title !Album details |
| scope="row"| GucTiggy {{Small|(with Gucci Mane)}} |
|
|---|
| scope="row"| Greatest Gift {{Small|(with Deitrick Haddon)}} |
|
| scope="row"| Drip & Zay {{Small|(with Kountry Wayne)}} |
|
| scope="row"| Only One
|
|
| scope="row" | 24 the EP {{Small|(with Damon Fletcher)}} |
|
= Mixtapes =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ ! rowspan="2" |Title ! rowspan="2" |Mixtape details ! colspan="6" |Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|CAN ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|FRA ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|NLD ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|UK |
|---|
| scope="row"| World War 3 (Lean) {{Small|(with Gucci Mane)}} |
|— |33 |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row" | Beast Mode {{Small|(with Future)}} |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row" | Juggathon {{Small|(with Young Scooter)}} |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row" | For Trappers Only {{Small|(with Shy Glizzy)}} |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row" | Trapping Made It Happen{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/zaytoven-presents-trapping-made-it-happen/1325337546|title=Zaytoven - Zaytoven Presents: Trapping Made It Happen |publisher=Apple Music |access-date=2022-08-11}}
|
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row" | Trapholizay
|
|78 |43 |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row" | Beast Mode 2 {{Small|(with Future)}} |
|3 |13 |130 |49 | 55 |
| scope="row"| 6Toven {{Small|(with Foolio)}}{{Cite web|title=Foolio & Zaytoven Drop Joint Project "6toven"|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/foolio-and-zaytoven-drop-joint-project-6toven-new-mixtape.118249.html|access-date=April 16, 2021|website=HotNewHipHop|date=July 18, 2018 }} |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| GloToven {{Small|(with Chief Keef)}} |
|153 |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| Camp GloTiggy {{Small|(with Chief Keef)}}{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/camp-glotiggy/1463243693|title=Camp GloTiggy by Chief Keef|date=31 May 2019}} |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| Bad Azz Zay {{Small|(with Boosie Badazz)}} |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| A-Team (with Lil Keed, Lil Gotit, and Lil Yachty) |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| Pack Just Landed Vol. 1{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/pack-just-landed-vol-1/1530447599|title=Zaytoven - Pack Just Landed Vol. 1 |publisher=Apple Music |access-date=2022-08-11}}
|
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| Pack Just Landed Vol. 2{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/pack-just-landed-vol-2/1530057704|title=Zaytoven - Pack Just Landed Vol. 2 |publisher=Apple Music |access-date=2022-08-11}}
|
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row" | Zaystreet {{Small|(with Young Scooter)}} |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| GrinchToven Stole The Trap
|
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| Moetoven{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/moetoven/1563282153|title=Moe & Zaytoven - MOETOVEN |publisher=Itunes.apple.com. |access-date=2021-04-23}} {{Small|(with Moe)}} |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| Pack Just Landed Vol. 3{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/pack-just-landed-vol-3/1586160169|title=Zaytoven - Pack Just Landed Vol. 3 |publisher=Apple Music |access-date=2022-08-11}}
|
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| Keys To the Streets{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/keys-to-the-streets/1586259078|title=Luh Soldier & Zaytoven - Keys To the Street |publisher=Itunes.apple.com. |access-date=2021-10-22}} {{Small|(with Luh Soldier)}} |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| GhostToven{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/ghosttoven/1597185425|title=Ghostluvme & Zaytoven - GhostToven |publisher=Itunes.apple.com. |access-date=2021-12-17}} {{Small|(with Ghostluvme)}} |
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| Streetz Got No Heart{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/streetz-got-no-heart/1630993119|title=Zaytoven - Streetz Got No Heart |publisher=Itunes.apple.com. |access-date=2022-06-24}}
|
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
| scope="row"| Loverz n Friendz{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/loverz-n-friendz/1635179736|title=Zaytoven - Loverz n Friendz |publisher=Itunes.apple.com. |access-date=2022-08-11}}
|
|— |— |— |— |— |— |
= Other charted songs =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ ! rowspan="2" |Title ! rowspan="2" |Year !Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2" |Album |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|US R&B {{Cite magazine|title=Zaytoven Chart History: Hot R&B Songs|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/zaytoven/chart-history/bst/|access-date=April 16, 2021|magazine=Billboard}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Stay at Home" {{Small|(with Usher featuring Future)}} |2018 |22 |A |
Production discography
= Charted songs =
Notes{{notelist-ua}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable" |
| style="text-align:center;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role |
| rowspan="1" |2012
| Birds of a Feather{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2326818/|title=Birds of a Feather(I)(2012)|website=Internet Movie Database|access-date=March 3, 2020}} | rowspan="3" |Himself |
| 2013 |
| rowspan="1" |2018
| Birds of a Feather 2{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7532392/|title=Birds of a Feather(II)(201*)|website=Internet Movie Database|access-date=March 3, 2020}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.zaytovenbeatz.com}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:German record producers
Category:Musicians from Frankfurt
Category:Hardcore hip-hop artists