How XMG Hip Hop Started: Mr. Lee And Danielgotskillz Building For The Culture

XMG Hip Hop didn’t start as another blog reposting press releases. It started because two people who actually work inside the music industry wanted a real outlet for it. Grammy nominated Houston producer Mr. Lee and creative director and marketer Danielgotskillz built XMG Hip Hop to spotlight artists, up and coming and major, and give them a platform that actually helps their work get found.

The Origin

Mr. Lee has spent years in the studio producing records for some of the biggest names to come out of Texas, and Danielgotskillz has spent that same stretch building websites, running SEO and handling marketing for music and entertainment clients. XMG Hip Hop is what happens when those two lanes meet, real music industry access paired with real web knowledge. It became a way to combine both, an outlet built by people who actually work in the culture instead of covering it from a distance.

The Track Record

Mr. Lee’s catalog speaks for itself. Nine platinum albums, six gold, and songs on the radio for 13 consecutive years running. His production credits include Tupac Shakur, Jay Z, Scarface, UGK, Bun B, Pimp C, Jeezy, Z-Ro, Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Mary J. Blige, Nipsey Hussle, Dwele and LL Cool J. He started his career in the early 1990s, moved to Houston in 1995 and signed with Rap-A-Lot Records, and was among the first producers to move into digital production. That range, West Coast legends to Houston staples to East Coast icons, is part of why XMG Hip Hop can speak to artists at every level instead of just one region or sound.

The Design Side

Danielgotskillz brings a matching track record on the other side of the business. His design and marketing credits include cover art for Snow Tha Product’s “Nights” and “Waste of Time” on Atlantic Records, apparel designs for Adidas worn by NFL players Kenny Clark and Raekwon McMillan, and album art for Z-Ro’s “The Crown” on Rap-A-Lot Records, along with work for Waka Flocka, August Alsina, Paul Wall and more. He also designed and built mrleeonthetrack.com. That’s the same skill set now behind XMG Hip Hop.

The Breakdown

One of the clearest examples of that connection is “3 Way Freak,” the Pimp C record featuring Lil Wayne that Mr. Lee produced. The track first surfaced as a preview months before it officially dropped in November 2015 as the lead single from Pimp C’s posthumous album Long Live The Pimp, released that December on Mass Appeal Records. That’s the kind of record behind the site, built by someone who has actually been in the room for the music it covers, not just writing about it after the fact.

What The Site Is Building

XMG Hip Hop covers news, music and interviews for artists at every level, from names still building their following to artists with major placements already behind them. Mr. Lee brings the music industry relationships and plugs, Danielgotskillz brings the web and marketing knowledge, and the goal stays the same either way, give artists a real publication that helps people find them, not just another site cycling through recycled headlines. Two people came together for the culture, and built something to give back to it.