By Stelios Phili
If the name DJ Mustard sounds strangely familiar, it’s because you’ve heard his sonic calling card hundreds of times before: “Mustard on the beat, ho.” The producer’s tag kicked off dozens of Billboard Top 40 singles, like Tyga’s “Rack City,” 2 Chainz’s “I’m Different,” Ty Dolla Sign’s “Paranoid,” and Kid Ink’s “Show Me.” Mustard’s distinctly West Coast sound—the hyper-minimalistic, up-tempo club-banger—monopolizes hip-hop radio and beyond. Even Iggy Azalea’s current chart-topper “Fancy,” unquestionably borrows the beatmaker’s style.