Boi-1da

Matthew Jehu Samuels (born October 12, 1986), professionally known as Boi-1da (/ˌbɔɪˈwʌndə/ boy-WON-da), is a Canadian hip-hop producer from Toronto, Ontario. He has produced for artists and groups such as Clipse, The Diplomats, Drake, Eminem, Jay-Z, Joe Budden, G-Unit, Nicki Minaj, k-os, Das Racist, Lecrae, Nas, Bizzle, Talib Kweli, Saukrates, and Kendrick Lamar, among others. He significantly collaborates with other producers who co-produce on his tracks including, The Maven Boys, Stephen "Koz" Kozmeniuk, Vinylz and Allen Ritter.

Early life and career

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Samuels moved to Canada when he was three, and grew up in the North York and Scarborough districts of Toronto. He was also raised in Ajax, Ontario, where he currently resides. At the age of eight, his mother bought him a Casio keyboard, and at the age of 15, a friend had introduced him to FL Studio (formerly Fruity Loops). Without any formal musical training, he started using the FL Studio beat-making program. A few years later, he won three consecutive Battle of the Beatmakers championships; because of this accomplishment, he was given a spot in the Battle of the Beatmakers judging panel.