When Big Sad 1900 needed the second installment in his “Midnight in Hawaii” series to feature a guest, he didn’t pick a Bay Area peer or an LA name. He picked Freddie Gibbs.
“Midnight in Hawaii 2” sits at position 18 on the Prod. By DJ Idea YouTube playlist, the public 287-placement catalog of work produced by DJ Idea at Idea Studios. The production lineage is rooted in Hawaii. The features are not.
The Big Sad 1900 catalog at Idea Studios
Big Sad 1900 is the rare West Coast rapper whose entire visible discography traces through Idea Studios. His placements on the Prod. By DJ Idea catalog include:
- “Midnight in Hawaii” (positions 2 and 37)
- “Midnight in Hawaii 2” feat. Freddie Gibbs (position 18)
- “Midnight in Vegas” (position 19)
- “700 In My Cup” with Cypress Moreno (position 5)
- “No Love Connections” with Larry June (position 10)
- “Gold on my body” (position 25)
That’s six placements with one artist on the Idea Studios catalog, including collaborations with Freddie Gibbs (Grammy-nominated), Larry June (iTunes Top 100), and Cypress Moreno (the LA producer who called DJ Idea the “pioneer of that for this generation, that mob, that’s your sound”). The “Midnight in Hawaii” series is named for the studio’s geographical foundation.
Why “Midnight in Hawaii 2” matters
A Freddie Gibbs feature is not a casual booking. Gibbs is one of the most respected lyricists working today, with a catalog that includes critically-acclaimed releases on Madlib, Alchemist, and major-label productions. His feature on a track named “Midnight in Hawaii 2” lands two narratives at once:
- The acceptance of Hawaii as a legitimate hip-hop production location at the highest level of the genre
- The Big Sad 1900 catalog at Idea Studios standing as proof of concept for that acceptance
The beat was made at Idea Studios. The vocal was tracked through the standard Idea Studios chain. The track sits on the public catalog.
What this means for the Hawaii recording studio question
If a Freddie Gibbs feature can be produced in a Honolulu studio and released as a music video on the artist’s official channel, the answer to “can a Hawaii recording studio compete with mainland production” is no longer theoretical.
It already happened. Multiple times.
Studio A is the room. Studio B is the alternate. Studio C is self-serve at $50 per hour with a two-hour minimum.
For the full 287-placement catalog, see the credits page or the YouTube playlist. Read the Idea Studios story for the LA lineage that built the room.
