Famed men’s magazine GQ recently sat down with Diplo for a quick Q&A to discuss his early career, the Mad Decent brand, and his Twitter beef with Lorde and Taylor Swift. While much of the interview focuses on his alleged social media squabble with Taylor Swift after his infamous booty tweet, “I’m scared for my life,” the tastemaker imparts some wisdom for producers and musicians looking to break into the industry.

“You know, you don’t need a label anymore,” he tells GQ, “we’re better at it than they are.” The secret to success? “I think more artists, honestly, should find an investor. […] You need venture capitalists to invest in music.” According to Diplo, the industry’s barriers to entry are significantly lower than they’ve been in the past — an artist only needs a hundred grand to launch an album — not $2 million.

In addition to treating music like an investment, Diplo believes that LA is the best place to be producing at the moment. “There’s so many underground parties happening, so many great young producers. […] You can make a living being a producer down there.”

For any aspiring producers, maybe it’s time to pack your bags, work on your investment pitch, and move to Los Angeles.

Read the full interview on GQ

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