In this episode of Gems with Shom, I’m joined by Fleetgotheat — artist, producer, and one of the biggest voices breaking down classic drum breaks and production techniques on the internet right now.
Fleetgotheat built a massive following by sharing drum breaks and beat science without gatekeeping. From breaking down where iconic drums come from, to talking through chopping and sequencing, what started as research and curiosity turned into a global conversation — introducing new generations to the foundations of hip-hop, funk, soul, and beat digging.
We talk about growing up in Chicago, learning music through family record collections, discovering sampling through Nas, Kanye, and soul records, and why drum breaks — and understanding how to use them — still matter today, even in an era where “everything is searchable.”
This is a conversation about ear over equipment, curiosity over gatekeeping, and why sharing information doesn’t dilute culture — it amplifies it.
🎙 In this episode, we get into:
• The rise of Fleetgotheat’s classic drum break series• Chicago roots and early musical exposure• Poetry, writing, and the path into beat-making• Learning production through Ableton + early SoundCloud days• Anti-gatekeeping and knowledge sharing in hip-hop• Why information alone doesn’t replace taste• Drum breaks as history, education, and community
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#GemsWithShom #Fleetgotheat #DrumBreaks #BeatDigging #HipHopKnowledge #AntiGatekeeping #ProducerCulture #SampleCulture #DrumHistory #VinylCulture
