Meet Carter Lee | Music Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carter Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carter, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
In my opinion, when you’re at a crossroads and are faced with this decision, you have to ask yourself if you can see your life without what you’re giving up and whether you’ll truly be happier and satisfied without it in your life. I think people jump the gun on giving up on their dreams and aspirations. Sometime you need a hiatus , or just to take a step back and re-evaluate how you’re going about what you’re doing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a music producer, mainly focusing on hip hop/rap production. I started producing music in high school on a laptop. Although I am nowhere close to where I’d like to be career-wise, I do have a few placements/produced songs out that I’m proud of (“Active” by Wasteey Monroe, “Pric3 (Just Watch)” by Lil Altoid, “Valbasas” by Lilkickdoe & Damnlild, “Do My Dougie” by Madara TBH, “Wishing Well” by Golden Uzi, “Yerb Flow” by ITSOKTOCRY Ft. Surf). I’m extremely proud of my persistence and dedication to my passion. There have been plenty of times I’ve felt like giving up and just relaxing after work each day. I always thought to myself “If I stopped doing this, would I be happy?”. The answer was always no, I could never forgive myself if I gave up. Even if this dream never works out, I have too much love for music to stop. I think I’m very versatile in terms of my sound. I make beats and produce what sounds good to me and what I enjoy in the moment, replicating what/how I’m feeling and what I’m inspired by at that time. I think the best music takes you out of your current situation/setting and makes you feel like you’re somewhere else or in a different space. I try to focus on creating this feeling to inspire artists and listeners. Some of the biggest challenges for me have been balancing music with other aspects of my life, staying consistent, and not overthinking production. I think a big lesson I’ve learned along the way is that collaboration in music opens so many doors. Not only is it more fun/enjoyable when you collaborate, but you make new friends, learn from each other, and push one another to better your craft. I went to college at The University of Texas at Austin studying Art & Entertainment Technologies (focusing on audio), and this is where I really began to learn the importance of collaboration and putting yourself around likeminded people. My journey has definitely not been easy, it’s taken a lot of dedication, sacrifice, self-discipline and drive.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There are a lot of great spots and things to do in Houston. I love the museum district and the museum of fine arts. I would also definitely take them to a Houston sports game (Texans, Astros, Rockets). If it’s that time of the year, I love the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Maybe check out a concert at House of Blues, Bayou Music Center or 713 Music Hall. I love to get outside so going golfing at one of many of the golf courses in Houston is always great, as well as going to the Houston Zoo (never too old for that!). There’s so many great options for food and drinks here, but definitely have grab some Tex Mex here if you’re not from Texas. For a night out, the Heights area and Washington Ave are always a good time.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Friends, family, and fellow producers I work with

Website: https://carterlee.beatstars.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cart3rlee/

Twitter: https://x.com/prodbycarter?s=21&t=C_ksARU7xlUiAtJsBQCrMw

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@cart3rlee?si=iOcCbhH_CM1W6seK