The ramifications of Covid-19 have been felt worldwide; job loss, online schooling, masks, employment insurance, and lots more.

Here in the Lower Mainland, musicians have been dealt an especially lackluster hand. A widespread shutdown of bars, nightclubs, and studio space, leaves local artists without their primary business and networking environments.

Hip-hop producer WTHPORTS has spent the last several years collaborating with artists from all over Vancouver, Canada, and North America. Drawing inspiration from the sounds of the southern and west coast United States, he’s taken the changes to his industry in stride; his connections have allowed him to remain focused on music production. However, it hasn’t been easy.

The 22-year-old producer was smart enough to have invested in studio equipment young. He began taking production seriously in the 12th grade, slowly but surely acquiring the means for his own home studio. In these unprecedented times, he’s well equipped to conduct business virtually. Collaborators send him their verses, and he makes magic happen via studio hardware/software.

Although he’s sufficiently maintained both high quality and quantity of production work, Ports (as friends and collaborators call him) definitely misses the physical networking aspect of his industry. He’s traveled coast-to-coast across Nort America, meeting dozens of artists along the way, and his production process usually involves both parties bouncing ideas off each. Working solo day after day becomes incredibly monotonous; Ports’ most significant challenge over the last 8 months has been remaining motivated. When he’s feeling uninspired, the young producer combats monotony by taking a couple of days to himself, listening to the music he grew his roots from, exercising, and cooking his favorite foods.

In light of all the change Covid-19 has made to his work, a summer of ‘quarantine’ provided Ports all of the quiet time he required to hone his craft; he’s fully loaded with abundant projects and features set for 2021.